Using the ‘molecular scissor’ editing technique CRISPR, a gene known as “doublesex” in the bugs has been altered. The gene transforms female mosquitoes, taking away their biting ability and making them infertile.
Is anyone else ridiculously nervous about this? Wiping out something that’s so low on the food chain and plays roles in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems seems…ill-advised. There’s no way we can fully predict the ecological ramifications.
I know that the diseases spread by mosquitoes are horrible, but there have also been studies suggesting we could modify mosquitoes to make them incapable of carrying those diseases without wiping them out.
People say there would be “no significant ecological consequences”, but we really can’t possibly know that for sure. I will remind everyone that ecologists once signed off on releasing cane toads into Australia and thought it would have “no significant ecological consequences”.