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Science Section => Science General Discussion => Biology, Psychology & Medicine => Topic started by: Baruch on October 02, 2019, 10:24:16 AM

Title: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Baruch on October 02, 2019, 10:24:16 AM
"Science Catastrophe In South America Could Kill Millions" .. transgenic mosquitos backfire.  They were supposed to be sterile, but they are not, they are breeding with the locals (to reduce total mosquito reproduction) but the exact opposite happened.  Their competition with the local mosquitos are producing viable offspring!!  So is this a repeat of "attack of the killer bees" (which sort of fizzled by the time it got to the US) or worse?
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: PopeyesPappy on October 06, 2019, 09:26:51 PM
Meh. Mosquitos are an important part of the food chain. People? Not so much...
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Hydra009 on October 06, 2019, 09:54:02 PM
So...is there some sort of news article for this...or...?
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Shiranu on October 06, 2019, 11:34:24 PM
Quote from: Hydra009 on October 06, 2019, 09:54:02 PM
So...is there some sort of news article for this...or...?

https://news.yale.edu/2019/09/10/transgenic-mosquitoes-pass-genes-native-species

I don't see what the major risk factor to the ecosystem or to humans is.

The only real take away from this story is, surprise surprise, humans try to make a change to the environment and it doesn't work the way they planned.
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Hydra009 on October 06, 2019, 11:49:57 PM
Yeah, I don't get what the big deal is supposed to be about.  An attempt to cripple mosquito birthrates failed (sorta (https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/10/dissent-splits-authors-provocative-transgenic-mosquito-study)).  Oh well, back to the drawing board.

Besides, other attempts have been far more successful (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3019028/chinese-scientists-new-technique-wipe-out-mosquito-populations), so unless Barauch is the sort of person who draws a line from a dot (and I'm fairly certain he is) I'm kinda at a loss as to the purpose of this thread.

Maybe to FUD (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty,_and_doubt) up some exceptionally knee-jerk and uneducated people, I guess?  Good luck with that.
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Mr.Obvious on October 07, 2019, 01:47:51 AM
Quote from: Hydra009 on October 06, 2019, 09:54:02 PM
So...is there some sort of news article for this...or...?

It's kind of like his crickets thread.
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Baruch on October 08, 2019, 10:19:36 AM
Quote from: Hydra009 on October 06, 2019, 11:49:57 PM
Yeah, I don't get what the big deal is supposed to be about.  An attempt to cripple mosquito birthrates failed (sorta (https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/10/dissent-splits-authors-provocative-transgenic-mosquito-study)).  Oh well, back to the drawing board.

Besides, other attempts have been far more successful (https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3019028/chinese-scientists-new-technique-wipe-out-mosquito-populations), so unless Barauch is the sort of person who draws a line from a dot (and I'm fairly certain he is) I'm kinda at a loss as to the purpose of this thread.

Maybe to FUD (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty,_and_doubt) up some exceptionally knee-jerk and uneducated people, I guess?  Good luck with that.

The point isn't to aid mankind, it is biowarfare experimentation.  And I wish them success.  Y'all think that scientists are gods.
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Baruch on October 08, 2019, 10:20:09 AM
Quote from: Mr.Obvious on October 07, 2019, 01:47:51 AM
It's kind of like his crickets thread.

Are you saying the killer bees were fake?
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Mermaid on October 08, 2019, 12:11:28 PM
This is complete bullshit. This article talks out of both sides of its mouth. Inflammatory, alarmist, reactionary bullshit. Don't spread bullshit.

https://www.zerohedge.com/health/science-catastrophe-south-america-could-kill-millions

OMG! COULD KILL MILLIONS! CATASTROPHE!

Read the fine print here: Females preferred to mate with fertile males, so the infection rate didn't change, so the experiment failed.

Fake news, especially about science, irritate the SHIT out of me. Use your critical thinking skills and read what you post.

Now get off my lawn.

*slam*
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Mr.Obvious on October 08, 2019, 12:45:56 PM
Quote from: Baruch on October 08, 2019, 10:20:09 AM
Are you saying the killer bees were fake?

No, I'm saying you have an entire three filled with non-sources quotes and headlines.
Title: Re: Transgenic disaster in S America?
Post by: Baruch on October 10, 2019, 10:11:55 AM
Hence .. my question marks.  I thought this sterile male mosquito thing was tried years ago.  But maybe they didn't use gene manipulation to make them sterile?  Hulk radiation maybe?  Or little forceps to take off their … manhoods?

The killer bees interbred as they moved north.  However, did any of that play into the multiple cause die off of regular honey bees?  Or is new pesticide the only cause?

Progressives … any random mixing of genes in a species or between species is Mad Science.  Nothing can go wrong because Dr Jekyll is a genius.  They have nothing to Hyde.