A few weeks ago, our own Cat Lincoln reported that an entomologist at the University of Wyoming had written a book describing a form of eco-terrorism that hinges on using insect infestations to wreak havoc, rather than bombs. Much to my surprise, we've already got the first report of an insect strike. According to reports-- or rather, tweets -- coming out of the fancy, invite-only TED conference, Bill Gates has unleashed a swam of mosquitoes into a crowd listening to him speak. No Joke.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been fighting insect born diseases like malaria for the last few years -- diseases that are expected to worsen with global warming. While giving a speech about the foundation's campaign to snuff out malaria, Gates reportedly said something to the effect of "not only poor people should experience this." And with that, he released a swam of blood sucking insects into the lecture hall -- no word on whether mosquito nets were provided. Now, I won't go on record calling the founder of Microsoft an eco-terrorist, but his attention getting device surely to struck terror in the hearts of a few of the world's top technology, entertainment, and design big wigs.

[via Gawker]