Mosquitoes: The Nightmare Pests of Terror

It sounds like something that would keep you awake a night! A scenario of horror.  A nightmare that’s a reality because it involves creatures that actually do exist on this planet. Those creatures are mosquitoes and in a lab, somewhere in California, the scariest kind are in a zoo of mutant mosquitoes. However, they serve a different purpose that is not to terrify, but to protect. Here’s an article with more information.

Could this zoo of mutant mosquitoes lead the way to eradicating Zika?

In a warm and very humid room, behind a series of sealed doors, Omar Akbari keeps a zoo of mosquito mutants. He’s got mosquitoes with three eyes, mosquitoes with malformed mouthparts, mosquitoes with forked wings, mosquitoes with eerie white eyes, and mosquitoes that are bright yellow instead of black.

Of course, this type of research can cause controversy and that is to be expected. Scientists are carefully considering all of the consequences when it comes to interfering in nature.

“A Sci-Fi movie in the making” is how many see this scientific development and of course share their apprehensions about this method in the fight against mosquitoes. The possible negative impacts are being addressed and considered carefully. This is not something that scientists are taking lightly and the release of these mosquitoes is carefully considered.

Letting Gene Drives Loose Outside Labs is Too Risky, says Scientist Who Promoted Idea

A large cache of emails released this month show that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is stepping up its efforts to promote the deployment of a controversial new genetic engineering tool known as “gene drive” to help eradicate malaria in Africa. However, some of the scientists who had initially proposed using the technology for public health and conservation purposes are having serious second thoughts about deploying it outside of labs.

We can all take our own steps in this ongoing fight against mosquitoes and the diseases they spread, by investing in our own mosquito control for our homes. Let’s keep these nightmare pests of terror away from us as best we can and let the scientists continue their research. Imagining a world without mosquito borne disease is a comforting one, but there’s a little way to go in ensuring it’s the safest and most effective method to make that happen.