Genetically Modified Mosquitos

[Catzsy]

I think how it works is that the Gm mosquitos have a sterile gene so when mating with normal females the offspring will be sterile thus decreasing the population.

[W00TZEH]

No they'll both be equal so it'll take virtually forever for the GM ones to take over the real ones. Hence why they need to further modify the GM ones so they're more competitive. For example if it made them better at reproducing or eating then it'd have an advantage and then wipe them out. Survival of the fittest, evolution etc.

I swear that's what I just said?

"Before we do this, we have to somehow give the mosquitoes a competitive advantage over the disease-carrying insects," explained Professor Michael Riehle from the University of Arizona a principle investigator on the project.

[Jordy]

I swear that's what I just said?

Yeah my bad sorry, quoted wrong post. What's happened to the capitals?

[W00TZEH]

I kept forgetting to and just couldn't be arsed in the end.

Ontopic: yay no more malaria

[Fez]

Well, what type of 'competitive edge' could we give them? High metabolism (I forget whether low/higher is better)? A 9mm pistol would solve all of their 'competitive' problems.

[Mathew]

I find it quite depressing to use modified animals to wipe out a pure "race" - just abusing man's power over others.
Nontheless, it is getting rid of malaria - and mosquitos are the most annoying insect out there.

Jolly good.

[Moh]

What if one mates with one that carries malaria, surely the offspring wont be 100% resistant?

What would take longer, trying to get rid of malaria or developing a cute within the future?

[Inseriousity.]

I find it quite depressing to use modified animals to wipe out a pure "race" - just abusing man's power over others.

Yeah I agree, they are annoying although I always wonder how long it'll be before the 'line' is wiped away and redrew somewhere else...

[Fez]

Yeah I agree, they are annoying

Yeah, only annoying since they kill millions of people worldwide every year.

Goal: Make sure the ecosystem is still in tact while taking away the danger to man. I don't see how that would affect their ecosystem. They feed off humans, yes, but I'm pretty sure they like to nom nom wildlife/animals in general too.

If you can save millions worldwide, without destroying a species, then I say yes.

[Mathew]

Another way to look at this is that mosquitos are responsible for keeping the population, in Africa especially, down.
A higher population in Africa would mean more people suffering in poverty, hence even worse lives for these people. So are you sure they should should have the misfortune of being born into this cruel world in the first place?

Not necessarily my point of view, just another opinion.