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In a revealing analysis, Nature magazine put this very question to ecologists, asking them whether removing the some 3,500 species of mosquitoes from the planet would irreparably harm the world's fragile ecosystems.
The story's conclusion? No:
Scientists acknowledge that the ecological scar left by a missing mosquito would heal quickly as the niche was filled by other organisms. Life would continue as before -- or even better.
I say we kill em all!
Pardon me if I'm skeptical. Anytime scientists have thought that the introduction or elimination of a species was a good thing, it has always brought disastrous results.
I know mosquitoes are annoying but most humans just don't know how to deal with them. First of all, don't eat high sugar fruits, especially bananas. Second, real vanilla extract will repel them better than any DEET spray. Make sure it's real though, and not the fake stuff; unlike us, mosquitoes can tell the difference.
Bring out the flamethrowers.
Even if the scientists' speculations were accurate, how can we do that, without destroying other, more necessary life forms?
I agree that a mosquito-free world would be a boon for humanity; here, they're only a nuisance problem, but in other parts of the world they're loathsome disease carriers, with malaria, of course, being the most common. How many millions of human lives lost to mosquitoes, since the dawn of humanity?
But how can we obliterate them, without doing irreparable harm to other, useful insect species?
Lasers. Automatic mosquito death laser turrets.
No, seriously. Some guys developed a laser that detects the frequency of the sound mosquitos make, it's unique or something. I want one.
But what if a sui- homicide mosquito landed between your eyes while the death laser turret was operational?
Lasers. Automatic mosquito death laser turrets.
No, seriously. Some guys developed a laser that detects the frequency of the sound mosquitos make, it's unique or something. I want one.
Since I can't access what these scientific geniuses said,
can someone else here tell me how the several dozen to
several hundred to several thousand species of birds, bats
and other bebeficial species which feed on mosquitos are
going to survive?
Scientists acknowledge that the ecological scar left by a missing mosquito would heal quickly as the niche was filled by other organisms. Life would continue as before -- or even better.
When it comes to the major disease vectors, "it's difficult to see what the downside would be to removal, except for collateral damage", says insect ecologist Steven Juliano, of Illinois State University in Normal.
A world without mosquitoes would be "more secure for us", says medical entomologist Carlos Brisola Marcondes from the Federal University of Santa Catarina in Brazil. "The elimination of Anopheles would be very significant for mankind."
God Damn MFSOB Wall St. Journal site always does something
to hang up my old computer. The forum architecture here
isn't so hot either- let's see if this reply can be posted.
Since I can't access what these scientific geniuses said,
can someone else here tell me how the several dozen to
several hundred to several thousand species of birds, bats
and other bebeficial species which feed on mosquitos are
going to survive?
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