2 ms·
Well if one of the above-linked articles on how mosquitos target humans is correct https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/28/706838786/how-mosquitoes
by mellavora 5y ago
Well if one of the above-linked articles on how mosquitos target humans is correct
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/28/706838786/how-mosquitoes-sniff-out-human-sweat-to-find-us?t=1633681721156 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/28/7068387...
"genetically altered mosquitoes to block the activity of a specific olfactory receptor called Ir8a. The result was that female mosquitoes — which are the ones that suck blood — were no longer attracted to lactic acid, an important component of human sweat."
So if we could refine this just a little bit more, we could engineer mosquitos which don't bite humans. And put that into a gene drive.
Still scary as fuck to mess this deeply with nature (note: post-doc work on viral evolution), but this is a less severe change than sterility.