More politicians should campaign on eradicating mosquitoes in their local communities using gene editing. In the last decade Los Angeles has been infested with Aedes mosquitoes. A much more dangerous type than the culex we’re used to.<p>They need much less water to grow eggs, Attack the lower body of humans quickly in short bursts so they’re harder to swat, and can transfer all the dangerous diseases mosquitoes are known for.<p>Very scary and very solvable before it gets out of hand.<p><a href="https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-aedes-mosquitoes-california-20180901-story.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-aedes-m...</a>
There's a lot of interesting work in eradicating malaria. Genetically modified mosquitos is one of them, which deserves careful watch <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/mutant-mosquitoes-can-gene-editing-kill-malaria/" rel="nofollow">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-diseas...</a>.<p>The Centre for Effective Altruism looks at ranking charities on effectiveness, and the Against Malaria Foundation always ranks very highly.
I don't know if it's too off-topic but I'd be happy to hijack these comments for a quick discussion of the best way to get rid of mosquitos from around your home. I live in the mountains in California and the little buggers are everywhere.<p>I bought a UV bug zapper without realising that mosquitos are apparently not attracted to UV. I later learned that they are attracted to CO2, but discussion of CO2 traps on the web imply that they also work very poorly.<p>Is there anything that can be usefully done?
> The Mosquito: A Human History of Our Deadliest Predator<p>The mosquito is a parasite, not a predator.<p>When the author of the book mislabels the ecological niche occupied by the mosquito in the title of his book it gives little confidence in his rigour or level of insight.
Biting mosquitoes is one of the few species I have no qualms about eradicating. Other related species do all the kinds of work in the ecosystem that they do, but without nearly the risk to humans. Eradicate them.
Pretty interesting knowing mosquitoes were weaponized in the past. The irony in the fact this took place in the modern era, and not in medieval times, where they were known for catapulting diseased carcasses.
Here's one solution: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_drive" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_drive</a><p>The costs are so low that even a developing country could afford to do it, at a cost way lower than mosquito control by other methods.<p>Sure there are unknown consequences, but that probably won't stop them if their fellow countrymen are dying.
I had a sci-fi-plot idea while swatting my nth mosquito on a camping trip last month.<p>What if we figured out how to repurpose mosquitos to deliver useful viruses instead of harmful ones? Just think about it: no more scheduling appointments for vaccines or flu shots, simply wait outside for 20 minutes in the summer, and before you know it you’re immunized against malaria, measles, etc.<p>Not being a biologist, I have no idea if this is a plausible scenario, but I hope that somebody investigates it! It might be a very cost-effective and democratic method of delivering care.<p>At the very least it’d make for a good black mirror episode :)
An interesting article about the US army's fight against malaria in the pacific theater during WW II:<p><a href="https://armyhistory.org/the-other-foe-the-u-s-armys-fight-against-malaria-in-the-pacific-theater-1942-45/" rel="nofollow">https://armyhistory.org/the-other-foe-the-u-s-armys-fight-ag...</a><p>TL;DR: By spraying DDT everywhere, and coercing troops to take Atabrine (that often had nasty side effects), they reduced malaria incidence by about 70%. The Japanese, by contrast had little protection - nearly all Japanese soldiers had malaria at some time.
A few years ago I decided to stop killing mosquitos. I still swat them, but my aim now is inflict PTSD on them so that they avoid environmental triggers that remind them of me, and all their offspring do the same. How can they learn if we kill them?<p>Has it worked? Prob not, but I feel like I’m doing something new at least.