4 ms·

"While genetically female, the transformed insects have mouths that resemble male mosquito mouths. That means they can't bite and so can't spread the malaria pa

"While genetically female, the transformed insects have mouths that resemble male mosquito mouths. That means they can't bite and so can't spread the malaria parasite. In addition, the insects' reproductive organs are deformed, which means they can't lay eggs." This is awesome. It's one of those things that makes you feel like you live in the future. Preventing the spread of Malaria, Zika, West Nile, a bunch of other things... and saving our dogs from heart worms! Not to mention avoiding all the cancer and neurological illnesses we've had to endure thanks to chemicals in repellants we had to use... I'm sure there are consequences for killing off all the mosquitoes, and we'll have to deal with those... but I for one can't wait to deal with those problems instead of mosquitoes.

saagarjha 8y ago
> I'm sure there are consequences for killing off all the mosquitoes, and we'll have to deal with those... but I for one can't wait to deal with those problems instead of mosquitoes. I’m not sure we know the scale of these problems. Historically, messing with the ecological food web like this has often caused more harm than good, so I think it’s worth it to be more careful than this.
- foobar1962 8y ago
  Consider the Cane Toad problem in Australia as a case in point. Introduced in 1935 to control a beetle that attacked sugar cane, it became a huge ecological disaster. It also failed to solve the original objective. It appears the toads have evolved longer legs so they can travel faster and further. The big problem with the toad is that they are poisonous. Native larger animals eat them and die, which reduces biodiversity and leaves the toads free to grow and expand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toads_in_Australia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toads_in_Australia
- 420codebro 8y ago
  Yeah let’s sit around and jerk off while we have shit we could use to make a difference. Real stumper. Not.
- thret 8y ago
  Aren't species already going extinct every day?
  - saagarjha 8y ago
    Yes, but as far as I'm aware that's an undesirable outcome?
empath75 8y ago
Human overpopulation, famine and war, most likely.
stubish 8y ago
> I'm sure there are consequences for killing off all the mosquitoes, and we'll have to deal with those... but I for one can't wait to deal with those problems instead of mosquitoes. Nobody is proposing killing all the mosquitoes, and I doubt it would be possible to do so with the techniques being investigated. Only the specific species of mosquito that carry specific parasites are being targeted. You will not see a reduction in mosquito numbers, as the population of other mosquito species will grow to fill the void. Or nothing will happen at all. I think I've been reading about tests and trial releases of generically modified mosquitoes for decades, but nothing as far as even discussing the mass releases needed to eradicate the malaria parasite and the disease. And almost nothing unfortunately on the other mosquito born illnesses you cite.
- chr1 8y ago
  > and I doubt it would be possible to do so with the techniques being investigated the doublesex gene targeted by this gene drive is similar in all insects, so if this works we'll have a powerful tool not only against mosquitos, but also against all agricultural pests, which is very exciting.
  - reitanqild 8y ago
    > but also against all agricultural pests, which is very exciting. I'd say scary instead of exciting here.

saagarjha 8y ago

> I'm sure there are consequences for killing off all the mosquitoes, and we'll have to deal with those... but I for one can't wait to deal with those problems instead of mosquitoes. I’m not sure we know the scale of these problems. Historically, messing with the ecological food web like this has often caused more harm than good, so I think it’s worth it to be more careful than this.

foobar1962 8y ago
Consider the Cane Toad problem in Australia as a case in point. Introduced in 1935 to control a beetle that attacked sugar cane, it became a huge ecological disaster. It also failed to solve the original objective. It appears the toads have evolved longer legs so they can travel faster and further. The big problem with the toad is that they are poisonous. Native larger animals eat them and die, which reduces biodiversity and leaves the toads free to grow and expand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toads_in_Australia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_toads_in_Australia
420codebro 8y ago
Yeah let’s sit around and jerk off while we have shit we could use to make a difference. Real stumper. Not.
thret 8y ago
Aren't species already going extinct every day?
- saagarjha 8y ago
  Yes, but as far as I'm aware that's an undesirable outcome?

empath75 8y ago

Human overpopulation, famine and war, most likely.

stubish 8y ago

> I'm sure there are consequences for killing off all the mosquitoes, and we'll have to deal with those... but I for one can't wait to deal with those problems instead of mosquitoes. Nobody is proposing killing all the mosquitoes, and I doubt it would be possible to do so with the techniques being investigated. Only the specific species of mosquito that carry specific parasites are being targeted. You will not see a reduction in mosquito numbers, as the population of other mosquito species will grow to fill the void. Or nothing will happen at all. I think I've been reading about tests and trial releases of generically modified mosquitoes for decades, but nothing as far as even discussing the mass releases needed to eradicate the malaria parasite and the disease. And almost nothing unfortunately on the other mosquito born illnesses you cite.

chr1 8y ago
> and I doubt it would be possible to do so with the techniques being investigated the doublesex gene targeted by this gene drive is similar in all insects, so if this works we'll have a powerful tool not only against mosquitos, but also against all agricultural pests, which is very exciting.
- reitanqild 8y ago
  > but also against all agricultural pests, which is very exciting. I'd say scary instead of exciting here.