Genetically Modified Mosquitos

[Catzsy]

This research has been going on for a few years but has got to the stage where they are going to do trials. I think it's pretty amazing that the world maybe on the threshold of wiping out Malaria one of the biggest killers in the third world.

Link:
http://www.brainicane.com/2010/07/15...aria-parasite/

[AgnesIO]

It is a fantastic idea, but as they say in the article, it will take a long time for the new mosquito's to take over current 'mozzies'.

I am against modifying animals to make them more suited for our liking though, but at the same time wiping out malaria would be fantastic.

[Jordy]

Certainly an interesting way to get rid of Malaria but it seems that we're still decades off malaria being eradicated. They need to come up with a way to make the GM Mosquitoes better than normal Mosquitoes to reduce the competition. That way the normal ones will die out to be replaced by the more competitive GM ones, however they don't know how to do this yet. Could certainly be risky genetically modifying entire species though, if things go wrong it could be catastrophic on ecosystems.

[AlexOC]

Does Malaria kill the mosquito?

If not then it would be hard to replace the current mosquitos without, well killing them all.

[Catzsy]

Well genetic modification of this sort can only bring positives I believe. It is not doing it for anything flippant like 'Dolly the Sheep'. I feel genetic modification does have a role to play say in food for the third world etc.

[W00TZEH]

Bit too late for Cheryl

Alex, before they release them they're going genetically modify them to give them something which will give them an advantage over the real mosquito's

[AlexOC]

Bit too late for Cheryl

Alex, before they release them they're going genetically modify them to give them something which will give them an advantage over the real mosquito's

Ahh, i couldn't be arsed reading it all. Well if they do that, then yeah sure, natural selection kicks in. Could take a while though.

[Jordy]

Bit too late for Cheryl

Alex, before they release them they're going genetically modify them to give them something which will give them an advantage over the real mosquito's

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.

[beth]

i like the idea in theory, but i dunno how effective it will be. it all looks good on paper though.

[Becca]

The idea is great idea, but would it actually work?