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Are these mosquitos made in the same labs or near that malaria testing is being done? Does reducing this specific type of mosquito in a region allow another typ

Are these mosquitos made in the same labs or near that malaria testing is being done? Does reducing this specific type of mosquito in a region allow another type that has been quietly carrying the disease to flourish and expand habitat? The fact you're not curious at all is strange. There's a lot of ways manmade meddling could create unforeseen side effects (it happens all the time) or accidents - did someone accidentally mix the mosquito batches up? Was there cross contamination? Skepticism is a good thing but it's important to be skeptical of the scientists too.

kdmccormick 3y ago
Curiosity is different than a destructively smug confidence that experts are wrong. Curiosity: "I am curious if any studies have been done to measure whether GM mosquitos could actually the spread of malaria, given that they were released in the two areas with new malaria cases." Smug confidence: "I'm SURE it wasn't that tricky science experiment they're doing with GM mosquitos."
ceejayoz 3y ago
> Are these mosquitos made in the same labs or near that malaria testing is being done? No. They're made by a company specifically set up for this.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxitec https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxitec They have their own production facilities: https://www.oxitec.com/en/news/oxitec-breaks-ground-on-new-state-of-the-art-hybrid-innovation-amp-production-center-in-brazil https://www.oxitec.com/en/news/oxitec-breaks-ground-on-new-s... The same mosquitos been deployed outside the US, since 2009. They're also released as eggs, which is a dramatic challenge for the "they're preloaded with malaria" theory. > Skepticism is a good thing but it's important to be skeptical of the scientists too. There's a saying about being so open minded your brain falls out.
- nemo44x 3y ago
  Great, but what are the side effects of releasing these? I agree a lab contamination is unlikely and that the science assures that these mosquitoes can't spread or carry it. But, what are the side effects of releasing these? How many times have we released something to an environment only to realize there were unintended consequences? > The same mosquitos been deployed outside the US, since 2009. In places that already have malaria as far as I know. Plus, a different environment. > There's a saying about being so open minded your brain falls out. Agreed, but there's a certain narrow mindedness to not looking outside the direct effects of doing something. I'd at least review what we are doing and consider unintended consequences.
  - ceejayoz 3y ago
    > Great, but what are the side effects of releasing these? Go ahead and propose a novel one. You're not the first to try and poke holes in the concept, nor is this the first test run. For these to be able to spread malaria, they have to be biting malaria infected people in the area. The harm you're proposing has to already exist.

kdmccormick 3y ago

Curiosity is different than a destructively smug confidence that experts are wrong. Curiosity: "I am curious if any studies have been done to measure whether GM mosquitos could actually the spread of malaria, given that they were released in the two areas with new malaria cases." Smug confidence: "I'm SURE it wasn't that tricky science experiment they're doing with GM mosquitos."

ceejayoz 3y ago

> Are these mosquitos made in the same labs or near that malaria testing is being done? No. They're made by a company specifically set up for this.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxitec https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxitec They have their own production facilities: https://www.oxitec.com/en/news/oxitec-breaks-ground-on-new-state-of-the-art-hybrid-innovation-amp-production-center-in-brazil https://www.oxitec.com/en/news/oxitec-breaks-ground-on-new-s... The same mosquitos been deployed outside the US, since 2009. They're also released as eggs, which is a dramatic challenge for the "they're preloaded with malaria" theory. > Skepticism is a good thing but it's important to be skeptical of the scientists too. There's a saying about being so open minded your brain falls out.

nemo44x 3y ago
Great, but what are the side effects of releasing these? I agree a lab contamination is unlikely and that the science assures that these mosquitoes can't spread or carry it. But, what are the side effects of releasing these? How many times have we released something to an environment only to realize there were unintended consequences? > The same mosquitos been deployed outside the US, since 2009. In places that already have malaria as far as I know. Plus, a different environment. > There's a saying about being so open minded your brain falls out. Agreed, but there's a certain narrow mindedness to not looking outside the direct effects of doing something. I'd at least review what we are doing and consider unintended consequences.
- ceejayoz 3y ago
  > Great, but what are the side effects of releasing these? Go ahead and propose a novel one. You're not the first to try and poke holes in the concept, nor is this the first test run. For these to be able to spread malaria, they have to be biting malaria infected people in the area. The harm you're proposing has to already exist.