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We finally may be able to rid the world of mosquitoes. But should we?
US Headtopics ^ | 06 03 2025 | Staff

Posted on 06/04/2025 7:27:17 AM PDT by yesthatjallen

Gene editing holds the potential of suppressing mosquito species that carry deadly diseases — and raises ethical questions.

Yet the development of this technology also raises a profound ethical question: When, if ever, is it okay to intentionally drive a species out of existence? Simoni said he hopes Target Malaria can move beyond the lab and deploy some of the genetically modified mosquitoes in their natural habitats within the next five years. The nonprofit research consortium gets its core funding from the Gates Foundation, backed by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and Open Philanthropy, backed by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife, Cari Tuna.At the heart of Target Malaria’s work is a powerful genetic tool called a gene drive.

“Technology is presenting new options to us,” said Christopher Preston, a University of Montana environmental philosopher. “We might’ve been able to make a species go extinct 150 years ago by harpooning it too much or shooting it out of the sky. But today, we have different options, and extinction could be completed or could be started in a lab.

“This is not a difficult audience, because these are people that are living in an area where children are dying,” said Krystal Birungi, an entomologist for Target Malaria in Uganda, though she added that she sometimes has to fight misinformation, such as the false idea that bites from genetically modified mosquitoes can make people sterile.

SNIP

(Excerpt) Read more at us.headtopics.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: dna; mosquitoes
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To: Dalberg-Acton

Agreed in no particular order anybody know if they are gonna relegaize DDT?


61 posted on 06/04/2025 9:20:27 AM PDT by Nebr FAL owner (Treason is the reason for Democrat Sedition & subvertion )
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To: Chickensoup
6 to 8 weeks is black fly season

They are done chowing down by August...

62 posted on 06/04/2025 9:30:15 AM PDT by EVO X ( )
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To: yesthatjallen

Get rid of mosquitos only after we get rid of Leftists, Marxists, Socialists and DemocRATs!


63 posted on 06/04/2025 9:44:42 AM PDT by Redleg Duke (“Time to Play Cowboys and Snowflakes!”)
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To: yesthatjallen

If you are little and muslim, would that make you a mosque-ito?


64 posted on 06/04/2025 10:14:33 AM PDT by 17th Miss Regt (Fascist, deplorable, and proud of it!)
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To: Dalberg-Acton

You betcha!


65 posted on 06/04/2025 10:45:56 AM PDT by Savage Beast (There's a Light over the Whole World. I just want everybody to be happy, healthy and well. --DJT)
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To: yesthatjallen

Unfortunately, as much as I hate mosquitoes (living the SE Texas area), we can’t get rid of them. There are too many critters that use them as food (bats, for example).


66 posted on 06/04/2025 12:39:52 PM PDT by ro_dreaming (Who knew "Idiocracy", "1984", "Enemy of the State", and "Person of Interest" would be non-fiction?)
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To: yesthatjallen

Mosquitos have killed and /or crippled millions.
Naturally the democrats want to save the mosquitos....


67 posted on 06/05/2025 1:59:07 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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To: minnesota_bound

I have seen clouds of mosquitoes in the day and at night you cannot go outside and enjoy the evening.

Several plants can help repel mosquitoes naturally. Strongly scented herbs like lavender, basil, and rosemary are good choices. Additionally, plants like lemon balm, mint, and lemongrass are also effective
https://www.gardendesign.com/plants/mosquito-repellent.html


68 posted on 06/05/2025 2:01:58 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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To: old school

#42 Wait a minute, that is a song by Earth, Wind and Fire.
Maybe the Byrds.... : )

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

42 posted on 6/4/2025, 8:20:02 AM by old school


69 posted on 06/05/2025 2:13:05 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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To: yesthatjallen

As I understand it, bats 🦇 eats tons of skeets on a nightly basis.


70 posted on 06/05/2025 2:29:07 PM PDT by AFreeBird
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To: ShadowAce

Not to mention fish, fish eat them in their larval stage.


71 posted on 06/05/2025 2:31:34 PM PDT by AFreeBird
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