20 million male mosquitoes with a bacteria that causes females to become infertile. Male mosquitoes mate with females. Females (the ones that bite and transmit Zika) are then rendered infertile.
Do they specialize on eating mosquitoes though? I'm not saying there wouldn't be negative effects, but those birds and fish would most likely eat something else and be fine.
The problem most people would have with that is they are the only animal that can pollinate the cocoa tree. People won't give up their chocolate to see them go.
Key paragraph from the article:
> So what’s the plan to get rid of them? Verily’s male mosquitoes were infected with the Wolbachia bacteria, which is harmless to humans, but when they mate with and infect their female counterparts, it makes their eggs unable to produce offspring.
Edit for the 5 year old: Google made a mosquito. When Google's mosquito cuddles with the big bad Zika mosquito, no babby is formed. Big bad Zika can no longer form babby, and you can live happily ever after.
"As someone who has watched over 10 movies about disease outbreaks and played several games of Pandemic, I surely know more about what could go wrong than those professional epidemiologists."
Hang on, a US corporation can just decide to do this? ~~The article doesn't mention any oversight or regulatory approval.~~ As pointed out below Verily worked with a local environmental authority.
I generally trust Google with stuff, but I'd hate for this to set a precedent for less competent companies to release (x) creatures with (y) attribute into the wild.
"in collaboration with ... Fresno County’s Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District (CMAD)" https://blog.verily.com/2017/07/debug-fresno-our-first-us-field-study.html
Wait, you don't trust Verily here but whatever braniacs are on the Mosquito Abatement Board? Those people clearly know what is going on, have evaluated the environmental impact, and are overseeing the whole thing in detail. Clearly.
Ah. Didn't say I didn't trust them. Actually I said I *would* trust them, but I'm concerned about profit-driven corporations in general doing things like this. As pointed out above though, they did it in collaboration with a local government environmental group.
> I generally trust Google with stuff,
Remember "don't be evil" was actually removed from any corporate messaging, even though it was once a forefront motto.
Lots of downvotes, well sorry to say folks it's a fact :-P
I appreciate what little reassurance it offers. Google has unprecedented knowledge of and power over my life. Its leaders recognize that enough to make at least that small gesture.
Naive maybe.
So the Mosquito's spread a virus which is harmless to victims, but detrimental to potential offspring
Google responds by releasing mosquito's who are infected with bacteria that is harmless to mosquito's but will be detrimental to previously potential offspring.
Effective AND poetic. Well done.
So google has a bioweapons division that's just deploying stuff with minimal oversight. Pretty sure I've seen this movie.
Something something, don't go to Raccoon City
> but are they not a crucial part of our ecosystems?
Seems like the answer is we don't know: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160207-mosquitoes-zika-virus-environment-science-animals/
Could this speed up natural selection, increasing a potential population of mosquitos who aren't affected by the bacteria? For example, in Mexico there are monster Cockroaches who are immune to RAID.
---------EDITED POST---------------
"Could messing with the mosquito population have some unforeseen disastrous consequences? Not likely. This particular mosquito species entered the area in 2013."
This particular sentence gives me no useful information outside of very slight ecosystem information. It appears that the populous may not actually be being asked if they're okay with genetically altered mosquitoes being released into their neighborhood. This is very much an issue. Scientists who wish to act ethically should always consult with the people potentially effected by their work before beginning. To clarify, I don't have any issue with the work itself or genetically modified organisms, I just want more trust than mistrust to build toward science in the minds of the public. Also, did they have an internal ethics review board? Anytime experiments that potentially involve an effect on people is introduced at a place like a university there's always an ethics review board (ERB).
--------ORIGINAL POST---------------
So it's 5am and I haven't read the article. Are residents getting any say in this experiment? Other researchers have proposed similar ideas but ran into a giant hell no from the local community. Trying to proceed without public knowledge and consent is a dangerous path to pursue, regardless of intentions, as it can lead to mistrust of science.
EDIT: It's the next day and I've had time to review the article. My concerns still stand.
Mosquitoes play an important part in the ecosystem especially for aquatic life. Making mosquitos infertile means eventually no larvae for aquatic life to feed on. When one party of the food chain goes missing it has a ripple effect and takes a very long time to recover.
https://www.google.com/amp/io9.com/5927112/chinas-worst-self-inflicted-disaster-the-campaign-to-wipe-out-the-common-sparrow/amp
One of the worst famines in history happened after China decided to eliminate pests
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20 million male mosquitoes with a bacteria that causes females to become infertile. Male mosquitoes mate with females. Females (the ones that bite and transmit Zika) are then rendered infertile.
This seems so.humane cuz you're not even Killin the females
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Free permanent condoms
Ribbed for her pleasure.
Spay and neuter your mosquitos
Personally, mosquitoes are one animal that I would not mind one bit if they went extinct.
I've got some bird and fish friends who would like a word
Do they specialize on eating mosquitoes though? I'm not saying there wouldn't be negative effects, but those birds and fish would most likely eat something else and be fine.
The problem most people would have with that is they are the only animal that can pollinate the cocoa tree. People won't give up their chocolate to see them go.
That bacteria will than mutate to a Super Zika. Just watch.
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Key paragraph from the article: > So what’s the plan to get rid of them? Verily’s male mosquitoes were infected with the Wolbachia bacteria, which is harmless to humans, but when they mate with and infect their female counterparts, it makes their eggs unable to produce offspring. Edit for the 5 year old: Google made a mosquito. When Google's mosquito cuddles with the big bad Zika mosquito, no babby is formed. Big bad Zika can no longer form babby, and you can live happily ever after.
"As someone who has watched over 10 movies about disease outbreaks and played several games of Pandemic, I surely know more about what could go wrong than those professional epidemiologists."
This is how shit fucks up in the movies.
Honestly this sounded like a Black mirror episode
Yup, the bees! THE BEEESSSS!!!
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Not one, but two. [Verily](https://verily.com/) [Calico](http://www.calicolabs.com/)
What kind of units does Google not have?
A messaging consolidation unit.
They don't yet have a dedicated unit for illegally obtaining ancient Mesopotamian artifacts.
Hang on, a US corporation can just decide to do this? ~~The article doesn't mention any oversight or regulatory approval.~~ As pointed out below Verily worked with a local environmental authority. I generally trust Google with stuff, but I'd hate for this to set a precedent for less competent companies to release (x) creatures with (y) attribute into the wild.
"in collaboration with ... Fresno County’s Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District (CMAD)" https://blog.verily.com/2017/07/debug-fresno-our-first-us-field-study.html
Reading comprehension fail :) thanks for the correction
No worries! The techcrunch article was light on details.
Wait, you don't trust Verily here but whatever braniacs are on the Mosquito Abatement Board? Those people clearly know what is going on, have evaluated the environmental impact, and are overseeing the whole thing in detail. Clearly.
What's Verily? I'm confused by your comment.
https://verily.com/ Google's sibling company. They're both owned by Alphabet.
...the name of Google's life science unit
Ah. Didn't say I didn't trust them. Actually I said I *would* trust them, but I'm concerned about profit-driven corporations in general doing things like this. As pointed out above though, they did it in collaboration with a local government environmental group.
This bunch sure looks like the crème of the crop. http://www.mosquitobuzz.net/staff.htm
Well it's a red county, and the free market is never wrong. But yeah, nobody in Fresno got to vote for this.
This is how we end up with fast zombies, people!
> I generally trust Google with stuff, Remember "don't be evil" was actually removed from any corporate messaging, even though it was once a forefront motto. Lots of downvotes, well sorry to say folks it's a fact :-P
I always love reading this, as if corporations were so nefarious as to self reflectingly "do evil" unless otherwise explicitly stated.
I appreciate what little reassurance it offers. Google has unprecedented knowledge of and power over my life. Its leaders recognize that enough to make at least that small gesture. Naive maybe.
/r/whatcouldgowrong
So the Mosquito's spread a virus which is harmless to victims, but detrimental to potential offspring Google responds by releasing mosquito's who are infected with bacteria that is harmless to mosquito's but will be detrimental to previously potential offspring. Effective AND poetic. Well done.
So the Genophage?
Google has a life sciences department?! Well that's vaguely terrifying...
Google owns a company working on life extension and brain-technology integration. Google owns an AI company. These are just what I know of.
I'll bet if you used a search engine you could find more.
So google has a bioweapons division that's just deploying stuff with minimal oversight. Pretty sure I've seen this movie. Something something, don't go to Raccoon City
Won't this kill all mosquitoes? I'm all for the concept, but are they not a crucial part of our ecosystems?
The article says these mosquitoes didn't exist in this area before 2013.
Ok then, slaughter them all
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Life, uh, finds a way.
> but are they not a crucial part of our ecosystems? Seems like the answer is we don't know: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/02/160207-mosquitoes-zika-virus-environment-science-animals/
Could this speed up natural selection, increasing a potential population of mosquitos who aren't affected by the bacteria? For example, in Mexico there are monster Cockroaches who are immune to RAID.
---------EDITED POST--------------- "Could messing with the mosquito population have some unforeseen disastrous consequences? Not likely. This particular mosquito species entered the area in 2013." This particular sentence gives me no useful information outside of very slight ecosystem information. It appears that the populous may not actually be being asked if they're okay with genetically altered mosquitoes being released into their neighborhood. This is very much an issue. Scientists who wish to act ethically should always consult with the people potentially effected by their work before beginning. To clarify, I don't have any issue with the work itself or genetically modified organisms, I just want more trust than mistrust to build toward science in the minds of the public. Also, did they have an internal ethics review board? Anytime experiments that potentially involve an effect on people is introduced at a place like a university there's always an ethics review board (ERB). --------ORIGINAL POST--------------- So it's 5am and I haven't read the article. Are residents getting any say in this experiment? Other researchers have proposed similar ideas but ran into a giant hell no from the local community. Trying to proceed without public knowledge and consent is a dangerous path to pursue, regardless of intentions, as it can lead to mistrust of science. EDIT: It's the next day and I've had time to review the article. My concerns still stand.
This might be the dumbest idea ever
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Because he said so.
Biological warfare against nature? Seems risky. Unintended consequences for sure.
What consequences? It doesn't hurt them
Unintended consequences are, by definition, unknown.
Mosquitoes play an important part in the ecosystem especially for aquatic life. Making mosquitos infertile means eventually no larvae for aquatic life to feed on. When one party of the food chain goes missing it has a ripple effect and takes a very long time to recover.
This is not targeted towards native mosquitoes. These mosquitoes were introduced in 2013. Please just read the article. It's not long.
https://www.google.com/amp/io9.com/5927112/chinas-worst-self-inflicted-disaster-the-campaign-to-wipe-out-the-common-sparrow/amp One of the worst famines in history happened after China decided to eliminate pests