Posted on 10/30/2011 6:58:35 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
These mosquitoes are genetically engineered to kill — their own children.
Researchers on Sunday reported initial signs of success from the first release into the environment of mosquitoes engineered to pass a lethal gene to their offspring, killing them before they reach adulthood.
The results, and other work elsewhere, could herald an age in which genetically modified insects will be used to help control agricultural pests and insect-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria.
But the research is arousing concern about possible unintended effects on public health and the environment, because once genetically modified insects are released, they cannot be recalled.
Authorities in the Florida Keys, which in 2009 experienced its first cases of dengue fever in decades, hope to conduct an open-air test of the modified mosquitoes as early as December, pending approval from the Agriculture Department.
“It’s a more ecologically friendly way to control mosquitoes than spraying insecticides,” said Coleen Fitzsimmons, a spokeswoman for the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District.
The Agriculture Department, meanwhile, is looking at using genetic engineering to help control farm pests like the Mediterranean fruit fly, or medfly, and the cotton-munching pink bollworm, according to an environmental impact statement it published in 2008. Millions of genetically engineered bollworms have been released over cotton fields in Yuma County, Ariz.
Yet even supporters of the research worry it could provoke a public reaction similar to the one that has limited the acceptance of genetically modified crops. In particular, critics say that Oxitec, the British biotechnology company that developed the dengue-fighting mosquito, has rushed into field testing without sufficient review and public consultation, sometimes in countries with weak regulations.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
That’s weird. Bats eat lots of mosquitoes though, so could that mean that some bats might starve?
Planned Parenthood is branching out, eh?
These mosquitoes are genetically engineered to kill —- children.
I thought this to be a bad idea.
Even taking into account most children I know; I think the actual plan is worse.
I love what scientific advances have done for our society. I also fear messing with God. This frightens me on some level. When have we gone too far?
I wonder if they know if the gene could be inserted into a
virus that the mosquito was harboring, and that virus get
into the general population and inserts that gene into
animals or humans causing genetic dysfunction........these genetic mod folks are starting
to get a little scary cuz they don’t test for all
possibilities....if you read a textbook on modern genetics
you could get frightened...
Pre-emptive Zombie ping. While we can still ping.
Imagine trying to FReep with zombies at the d
What happens when what eats them eats them? A death gene being spread through the food chain now?
Not crazy about this idea. But misquitoes are a hazzard down here. Land of liberals down here. Keys, Dade, Broward are loony-tunes-liberal. 2/3 demrat. And worse as you go south.
I live in debi’s dist.
Is there any credibly documented case of anyone, at any time or anywhere being harmed by a genetically modified crop?
If they’re just dying to mess with the mosquito, why not disable the gene that skeeters use to develop wings? Problem solved.
Somehow, I don't see the plan getting off the ground...
A lot of the HFCS used in foods comes from genetically modified corn. Once I stripped it out of my diet, and the diets of my children, our health improved substantially.
FTR, ate healthy to begin with. Lots of vegetables, salads, baked chicken; not a lot of sweets. I'm 5'8 and weight 125 lbs. Don't drink (not even beer or wine) or do drugs.
It's used in a ton of foods. Ketchup, jelly (kids loved PB&Js), boxed juices for lunches, etc. Was amazed to see it everywhere. Took a while to weed it all out and find replacements.
Also, any sweets or treats my family wants now I bake from scratch.
Conclusive proof? No, I admit. But if you saw how ill I was last year versus the person I am today, you would be surprised.
Messing around with "G-d's power tools" is *not* going to end well. I'm reminded, once again, of a line spoken by actor Jeff Goldblum in "Juraissic Park". "They were so intent on answering the question, 'Can we do it,' that they never asked the question, 'Should we do it'...
the infowarrior
The new GM varieties simply take hybridization a step further with gene splicing and other techniques.
Naturally, they are not always going to work as intended as your experience shows. Certain techniques or combinations such as your experience shows may be downright unhealthy.
But the solution is not to ban all GM food just as the solution to a small number of peanut allergies is not to ban all peanuts. The solution is to find non harmful combinations and move forward cautiously.
The mosquito modification in the topic would probably best be tested in a closed environment such as a greenhouse or an isolated area of arctic tundra over a season before it is released into the general environment.
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