posted in Technology
Mosquitoes are a choice: the technology to eradicate mosquito-borne disease already exists
worksinprogress.co/issue/mosquitoes-are-a-choice/
Replying to @inari@piefed.zip
It shouldn’t have to take fifteen years to deploy effective products that can save lives
this is such a reductionist view.
it should absolutely take decades to make a sweeping decision to fundamentally alter an ecosystem. nobody likes disease or even getting a random bite. i grew up in the swamps of the US, i know. but we should absolutely know what we’re doing to release a genetically engineered or bacterial sterilizing agent into a naturally evolved ecosystem.
Replying to @chrash0@lemmy.world
Ok. You can take decades if you have a systematic plan with data collection, time lines, expanded test beds, and reviews of emerging relevant science. But sitting on your hands for 15yrs isn’t very productive.
People have been more than happy to do this with the food we eat under accelerated time lines (I’m not defending that, but it’s not like there isn’t precedent for genetic meddling at scale.
Replying to @Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works
they did mention doing harmonization studies, which is my biggest worry: cascading ecological effects.
the impetus can’t be “oh well they haven’t done the full studies so i guess we just full send and see what happens”.
Replying to @chrash0@lemmy.world
These techniques are targeted at individual species, not all mosquitoes, and the species in question are invasive species. If it was targeting native mosquitoes your comment would make more sense, but in this case the ecological effects should be neutral to positive.
Replying to @LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
Careful. Targeted bacteriological or viral methods can adapt once out in the open. What you ultimately cause may not be what was intended. What other creatures share traits that might be susceptible? Let’s not pretend we’ve genomapped and understood everything out there.
Also mosquitos and their larvae are food for parts of the food web. If they are gone, what starves?
Unintended consequences are a real risk. Careful study should be required.