Activist Post
This past Sunday researchers announced initial success regarding the environmental release of genetically modified mosquitoes which are designed to kill their own offspring before they reach adulthood. The first mosquito release took place in the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean in 2009. On Sunday, October 27, the release was discussed in a scientific paper by the journal of Nature Biotechnology with the report concluding the releases’ success.
The study involved about 19,000 genetically modified mosquitoes which were released in the Grand Cayman Islands over a 25-acre area for four weeks. To evaluate the effects concerning the mosquitoes and their impact on the overall mosquito population, researchers set traps to capture the mosquitoes for larvae analysis. According to the study, genetically modified mosquitoes made up 16 percent of the whole male mosquito population in the test zone, with the lethal gene present in 10 percent of the larvae analyzed.
The mosquitoes are genetically modified with a gene designed to kill them unless given an antibiotic known as tetracycline. Offspring of the GM mosquitoes will receive this same lethal gene which will kill the offspring before it can ever reach adulthood. As more genetically modified mosquitoes mate with wild mosquitoes, the idea is that more and more offspring will be produced with the lethal gene, thereby reducing the mosquito population.
Oxitec, the British company responsible for the creation of the genetically modified mosquitoes, created this internally manipulated insect to help control agricultural pests and reduce insect-borne diseases like dengue fever and malaria. They received about $24 million from investors for their mosquito science project. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation contributed to Oxitec’s goal, as the foundation funded genetically modified mosquitoes back in 2010. In fact, the actions taken by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have been contributing to genetic modification for years.
The problem with the release of these genetically modified mosquitoes is that we have no idea what effects they could have on the environment as a whole as well as public health. Once these creatures are released, it is impossible to un-release them. The last thing this world needs is more genetically manipulated animals and crops.
Supporters of genetic modification have no idea of the long-term repercussions this often profit-driven practice holds for the future. Genetically modified crops have been shown time and time again to pose serious health risk. A study published back in 2009 showed that three Monsanto genetically modified corn varieties posed real health risk. Another study conducted in April of 2010 found that genetically modified soy was linked to sterility and infant mortality. Cardinal Peter Turkson, a prominent member of the Vatican , even spoke out against genetically modified crops and deemed them a “new form of slavery”.
Who are we to manipulate nature? The truth is that we have no idea what the future holds for genetic modification and the potential impacts it has on the environment and public health. Genetically modified food isn’t even labeled, and people all around the world are growing serious concerns about consuming such foods. We know that the genetically modified mosquitoes are equipped with a lethal gene designed to lower the mosquito population, but what does that really mean for humans?
We simply do not know the potential outcomes that could arise from such God-playing. As for present day genetic modification, all signs show that so far all we are doing is killing the food supply.
RELATED ACTIVIST POST ARTICLES:
Bill Gates Funds Approval of GM Mosquitoes to Combat Dengue
Viruses and the GM Insect "Flying Vaccine" Solution
Please visit Natural Society for more great health news and vaccine information.
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9 comments:
People will get bitten by these and your children will need tetracyclin or they will die. Then again, so will their children..
Was it democratically approved to do this ; or the 99% not worthy to be asked .
Mother nature and a million years of selective breeding created the natural balance we have today. After a million years of trial and error, all the unintended consequences are factored in and dealt with here.
Our scientists with about 100 years of screwing around with nature and under the direction of our politicians and corporate, for profit board of directors, think they know best.
I know this is rhetorical but, who do you think really has it right?
This is outrages! Removing mosquitos out from the ecosystem will definetly have impact on others species.
Release of genetically modified insects to control insect populations has been going on successfully since the 1950s. In the past, however, the genetic modifications were random, induced by ionizing radiation to achieve sterility (SIT programs for screw worms, fruit flies, etc.). Here, they propose to release a sterile insect with known genetic basis for sterility. So not only are things getting better but we have 60 years of observation to look for unintended effects of these types of releases (none yet thankfully).
Aedes aegypti are an invasive species except in Africa. They are just one of >3000 known species of mosquitoes. They often breed in water containers far to small to contain fish (discarded trash) and live indoors so are not eaten by bats (just spiders and ants mostly). A general statement about 'an impact on other species' is outrageous (I think that is what Arnold meant to write) without any understanding of what impact that might be.
If Mother Nature had her way, the average life span would still be 36. She will kill you and your children unless you protect yourself. Unless you live in an area where this disease can strike you and your children, I find it morally reprehensible that you should suggest that people live 'in harmony' with it. I will give Anonymous the benefit of the doubt and chalk up their post to an 'unintended consequence' of trying to do right by the environment.
The problem with starting with an agenda is that you often find yourself looking for reasons why you are right instead of looking for what is right. I'm sure you are all very good people and I don't mean to be condescending but an opinion without sound premises and solid logic is of little value. It is okay to have no opinion if you don't feel like you are educated enough on the subject. Personally, I hope they continue with their studies and for the sake of the millions living in dengue endemic areas, I hope they do not find any negative 'unintended consequences'.
OK: Bill Gates likes it...very sound logic for not endorsing it.
David said "If Mother Nature had her way, the average life span would still be 36."
One of the unintended consequences of artificially extending life through "advances" in technology is that we've created a population bomb that will doom us all unless we help nature kill off the unwanted excess and/or develop other unnatural ways to limit population growth. We did this in the last 100 years which on nature's timescale is the blink of an eye.
World economies are clearly focused on the same short term (blink of an eye) benefits these days and sacrificing the longer term. We could be doing the same thing with our quest to control nature instead of learning to live with it.
I think if is very interesting that the person that commented "Personally, I hope they continue with their studies and for the sake of the millions living in dengue endemic areas, I hope they do not find any negative 'unintended consequences'." I feel that this person has been missing the big picture of the way things are, We all know that bill gates and his wife have been on a campaign to rid the planet of us poor people, and they are so much like pinky and the brain it is ridiculous. They want to control the world and they are going to kill millions with smiles on their faces. This is all just the beginning of what is to come. I dont understand how people can watch a commercial and believe what is presented to them, Bill and Melinda make great commercials, they smile and tell how they want to save the world, but if you do any research you will see that it is the opposite, they want us dead. The person that posted that comment sounded very educated by the system, like a large propaganda machine. It is time to do your homework, not just regurgitate what the university's have taught you, and just because you can regurgitate what you paid 90000$ to learn does not mean your smarter than any of us that did not pay to be programed.
To the writer of, "Personally, I hope they continue with their studies and for the sake of the millions living in dengue endemic areas, I hope they do not find any negative 'unintended consequences'."
You don't find unintended consequences. They find you!
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