4 ms·
LA has a project where sterile male mosquitos are released[1]. Females only mate once, so this absolutely wrecks mosquito populations. It's the same strategy th
by mullingitover 1y ago
LA has a project where sterile male mosquitos are released[1]. Females only mate once, so this absolutely wrecks mosquito populations. It's the same strategy that keep screwworms contained at the Darrien Gap.
[1] https://www.glamosquito.org/2024-04-12-innovative-pilot-program-leverages-sterile-male-mosquitoes-to-combat-vector-borne-diseases-in-los-angeles-county https://www.glamosquito.org/2024-04-12-innovative-pilot-prog...
- trod1234 1y agoThis is by far the safer way to do these things. You never know what's going to happen when you Geneer a completely new organism and then release it into the wild.
- svpk 1y agoScrewworms have actually broken through the Darrien Gap and hopes of recontaining them are slim. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2025/05/screwworms-outbreak-united-states/682925/?gift=jn5EUqSBW4DqNeJog5r1ZUsi63I4LpmeN-nxjQIxwwk&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2025/05/screwwor...
- mullingitover 1y agoI'd say the USDA will handle this, but there has never been less competent leadership at the top so we're probably toast unless someone is brave enough to let rip with a gene drive attack (which I would personally love to see, biotech reactionaries be damned).