Genetically modified mosquitoes to prevent disease in Florida
Posted by freedomforall 11 years, 5 months ago to Technology
Oxitec has conducted initial tests in Brazil and the Cayman Islands, both of which were successful enough that the countries are planning larger deployments of GMO mosquitoes. If approved by the FDA, Oxitec could release the bugs this spring in southern Florida.
EXCERPTS FROM SAVING THE MOSQUITOES -- The War on DDT
http://www.jamesphogan.com/books/info.ph...
:)
downstream, we aren't besieged by critters whom
the mosquitoes have been keeping at bay. -- j
I don't trust anything that is genetically modified. They don't even go in my garden...
Nearly every food product you can eat has been 'genetically modified'... the old way, through selective breeding (research carrots, corn and the like) or with modern 'faster' methods that can cross species' lines.
Whatever... your mind's made up...
Enjoy!
and it's 'gets "loose" not lose...
shall I remind everyone of the Genetically created Gypsy Moth and the devastation it caused?
http://www.ncagr.gov/plantindustry/plant...
Or how about the genetically altered bees that became the "Killer Bees" and the damage they do.
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/entomology/apic...
All of these and more brought to you by so called "Scientists" trying to play "God". I am on the side of the tree huggers on this one.
EXCERPTS FROM SAVING THE MOSQUITOES -- The War on DDT
http://www.jamesphogan.com/books/info.ph...
Your information is incorrect. There were no genetic alterations to the gypsy moth: it was the natural type breed that was brought over to try to start a temperate zone silk production industry. (This would be quite feasible; there is some indication that European silk from gypsy moths was cultivated on the island of Kos in about 2000 BC.) The other thing that you have to take into consideration is that the gypsy moth was introduced in the 19th century! No genetic mods available back then. The example of introducing European swine into N.Am. to crossbreed with local populations is a more similar situation than comparing them to bio-engineered male mosquitoes.
Likewise the African bees were not genetically modified - they were just African bees. (If they had been genetically modified, the results might have been better!) They crossed with honeybees and the result ended up with the most 'disadvantageous' aspects of each species.
Segue: I owned a stallion that was the result of a similar hopeful experiment. The sire was 17 hands and dappled but aggressive in personality; the dam was about 16 hands, and very sweet. The owners were hoping for a 17 hand, dappled, sweet horse. What they got was a 16.3 hand aggressive bay. They gave him to me.
I have been watching the development of this technique for several years and I hope that scientists do not hesitate in improving this world by eradicating diseases in such an intelligent fashion.
Jan
"Although stinging incidents involving humans, livestock, and domestic animals have increased in Africanized areas, annual human deaths from bee stings remain lower than those associated with lightning strikes."
.................. and.....?
Not to mention that the Gypsy Moth AND Africanizes Honey Bees were cross-breeds, not due to injections of DNA fragments from other species, right? Is there a difference?
I guess I was using a loose definition of "genetic" in the sense when scientists decide to "inter-breed" while that may not be a direct "gene-splicing" method they are in deed making Genetic alterations.
Much like the African bees and the American Honey bee.
the long and short is when Science decides to SCREW with nature the results are never good over the long term.
I am on the other side of the curve on this one: I want lots more GMO that do not need fertilizers and are self-perpetuating (no secret special seeds). I want new interesting things just for the fun of it - like the luminous plants.
Jan
(I keep looking for empty wild gypsy moth cocoons - which are supposed to be about 4" long. If I can find one, I will wash it, soak it, and spin silk from the fibres. That would be soooo neat.)
I try to avoid placing as many foreign unnatural chemicals in my body as possible. As long as I can avoid the GMO's we can both be perfectly happy.
Jan
Yes, horticulturalists have been combining and changing plant life for thousands of years. The current methods get down to a molecular level in cells with results that we cannot be certain won't have deadly effects. At least cross pollinating plants or grafting one plant to another would die if it didn't work out. These new GMO concoctions who knows what will happen?