Genetically altered mosquito could be our best weapon against them
I know we all hate those little buzz bombs from hell, commonly referred to as ‘the mosquito’ but I’m betting that most of you didn’t realize that this little insect is responsible for more human death over our history on this planet than any other cause. The estimate puts the number of deaths at around the 46 billion mark.
The Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (A. aegypti) family of mosquitoes itself is probably responsible for infecting 50 to 100 million people worldwide per year with deadly diseases like dengue fever. It is because of this that mosquitoes have found themselves the target of our wrath however the only problem is that whenever we come up with some chemical based weapon it might work for a short while but the mosquitoes build up resistance and come back twice as strong as before.
Since this method of attack will always have limited success scientists have been trying to find other ways to destroy these bloodsucking insects. It is the research of American scientist Anthony James, from UC Irvice, that is getting a lot of attention because rather than going down the chemical road he has elected to go down the genetics path.
James has shown that he can literally decimated mosquito populations by introducing his genetically modified mosquito and in very short order. What happens is that the modified genes only effect the female mosquito making them flightless. So when the larvae hatch on the water the females are unable to leave which makes them harmless to humans as well as leaving them to die. The males on the other hand mature as normal and can fly off to mate with other females thus spreading the genetic mutation on.
via GizMag
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Nov 30, 2011
Anthony James is my new hero! This would also stop the EPA dummies in Maine who are digging pits along the highway to BREED them! on purpose! saying that there aren't enough mosquitoes in Maine and that isn't natural.
Nov 30, 2011
I think it's worth a try. Can't come up with one good purpose the mosquito serves!
Nov 30, 2011
And how long do you think it will be before they start using this with humans to limit the population?
Nov 30, 2011
I hate those bloodsuckers…..
Nov 30, 2011
Haven't we as humas created and altered enough animals, humans, medicines, and diseases.. I think we should leave the creating up to God! And by the way don't we already have animals thateat mosquitos? hmmm like spiders?
Nov 30, 2011
every thing has a purpose kill them off just may start some thing else.
Nov 30, 2011
Yes, they will limit human females from flight, thusly limiting the population.
Nov 30, 2011
"God's" creation, the Mosquito, according to this article, kills 100 million people a year. But since you don't know any of those people, LEAVE THE NICE MOSQUITOS ALONE! ITS GODS WILL THAT WE ARE RANDOMLY KILLED BY TERRIBLE DISEASES BY THE MILLIONS! So let me spin it for you this way, God has shown the light to young Anthony James, giving him the path to curing the epidemic of deadly mosquitos. That work for ya?
Nov 30, 2011
True, what that saying about all the bee's being removed from earth?
Nov 30, 2011
Matt Waisanen LOL and those diseases were here since the begining? wrong. WE created many of the diseases we endure, and God made animals to kill mosquitos.. so if you're so worried you may be 'taken at the wrong time' perhaps you should just breed spiders! But perhaps you're not getting the idea we are where we are because we keep trying to alter Gods creations…and no im not surprised there are repercussions.. just goinna cause more problems… But hey I'm sure someone will need to scratch that itch to just see what they can 'create' so we will inevitably have to see what happens to us next.. what the next plague will be and man! how will we ever figure out where it came from
Nov 30, 2011
So "God made animals to kill mosquitos"? Great! Now humans have found a way to help God where he has failed. Now If Mosquitos are completely removed from planet Earth, how will that change things? I dont know, but probably alot more people walking around.
Nov 30, 2011
Matt Waisanen God made the food chain along with all the animals that are involved lol duh? and we need MORE people in this world?! I'm thinking we're getting over populated as it is.. but p.s. God doesn't need help and already knows what will happen inevitably, no matter what you or I say on FB… I was just stating my opinion
Nov 30, 2011
I don't know. I've got a feeling this is going to come back and bite us in the butt…literally.
Nov 30, 2011
We are over-populated, certainly. I dont think the cure to that is, wait for the plague to hit China. The idea to not confront our perils (in this case Mosquitos), and "Let go, and Let God" is offensive to me. I bet Joe Paterno prayed that Jerry Sandusky would stop raping children, and that didn't work. God isn't here on Earth, it's up to Mankind to fend for itself.
Nov 30, 2011
ah poo i could write a book but i can tell you arent open to listening so i will simply pray for you
Dec 1, 2011
man and just for you to say praying should stop pedophiles, homosexuals, rapist, or any perverted mind is so outrageous.. it's like you want to find a way to throw God under the bus and I truly pitty that you have such pain and hate in you
Dec 1, 2011
You are promoting a passive existence. I dont think praying will stop pedophiles. I also dont think praying will stop mosquitos. I think that acting to stop rape, will stop rapists. I think that creating a new mosquito hybrid, will help reel back the population of mosquitos. Take responsibility for what you can control here on this Earth, it is ours to shape.
Dec 1, 2011
I don't throw God under the bus. That would be like me blaming Santa for not giving me presents. What I am saying is approach life like its YOUR responsibility to live it. If their is an epidemic that will kill 100 million people next year, do what YOU can to solve it, within your means. This man has done that for all of us.
What I take from you is that all the scientists working to solve the AIDS epidemic and trying to cure Cancer should stop what they are doing, and we should rely on God to work miracles instead. And that's simply retarded.
Dec 1, 2011
Matt Waisanen It's from an insecticide they use that they need to ban
Dec 1, 2011
They are food for the bats. One bat can eat about 23000 mosquitoes a night
Dec 1, 2011
bats eat mosquitoes. and what else is weird, is sickle cell anemia is supposedly what makes many people on the African continent immune to malaria. Go figure.
Dec 1, 2011
Not enough as I still get bitten (lol).
Dec 2, 2011
Ashley James Lee China already limits the family to one child! The woman is FORCED to have an abortion. If it is found she didn't there is a very large fine that has to be payed and they cannot keep the child. What they do with it? Only God knows
Dec 2, 2011
Cynthia Kaznakoff Ramos the boys are adopted out but the girls are left in a room to starve to death.. atleast that was the case when oprah did a show about it several years back… i always wanted to adopt a little chinese girl for that reason, because it is extremely cruel but limiting the population is very necessary in China, as it will be here sooner or later………………. Matt stop praising the scientist trying to cure aids because it is not cured but was most certainly created from scientific expirements
Jun 25, 2012
I doubt if there have been 46 billion people born on this planet yet.