Scientists Are Using Drones to Unleash Thousands of Mosquitoes in Hawaii in a Bid to Save Native Birds. Here's How It Works (www.smithsonianmag.com)
from cm0002@lemmy.world to science@mander.xyz on 18 Jun 11:19
https://lemmy.world/post/31580773

#science

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Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world on 18 Jun 11:54 collapse

Really important to read the details here. I was so ready to be mad at those scientists after only reading the title.

d00ery@lemmy.world on 18 Jun 16:51 collapse

Has science gone too far!?

The lab-raised, male mosquitoes are meant to breed with the invasive ones on the islands and produce sterile eggs that will help suppress avian malaria

No.

Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world on 18 Jun 18:09 collapse

Yeah, this is a good example of what science and engineering are for. That title reads like it’s pro-mosquito. I don’t think they’re an important part of the food chain, so I was baffled for a little bit. After reading further, I was relieved to find it was anti-mosquito/malaria. Perhaps science hasn’t gone far enough. I’d be happy to see the extinction of mosquitoes in my lifetime. We as a species have killed off many before, but this is probably the taxonomic family that most deserves to die.

Cypher@lemmy.world on 19 Jun 00:45 collapse

People fear unintended consequences too much when it comes to the eradication of mosquitoes.

Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world on 19 Jun 14:17 collapse

I think it’s generally wise to be cautious with ecosystems. Having said that, if we’re going to keep wiping entire taxons off the map, I say we put mosquitoes at the top of that list.