Can we change the pest gene and make them "re -do insects"?

"Silver candle autumn light and cold screen, light Luo Xiao fan fluttering ...", only heard the "pop", I was pulled out from the gentle poetry, and I saw that my mother had a body of mosquito bodies. I hurriedly glanced at the stars in the sky, and my mother's words lingered in my ears, but I fell into a contemplation: "Mosquito is so annoying pests, why can't scientists destroy them?"

The spring breeze seemed to laugh in the old flowers. When I was young, I was curious in my heart, and now it is the time to answer my question. Then let's find the story of human and mosquitoes together.

Annoying mosquito (picture source: Veer gallery)

1. Dangerous abyss behind mosquitoes

First of all, let's ask ourselves a question: Do we really know what pests are? In fact, the answer to the question is also very simple: pests are insects that are harmful to humans.

That's right, it is harmful to humans, and insects can be called pests. But it doesn't seem to be so simple, because some insects are harmful and benefit to humans in different time and space environments. For example, the ants we know, ants will destroy human food and harmful to humans; Agricultural pests are beneficial to humans.

The story turns back to mosquitoes. First of all, we all know that mosquitoes can bite people. After the bite, the needle will inject a kind of saliva into the skin, which will make the skin wrap and itch. What is more dangerous is that if bacteria, viruses, and parasites are presented in the saliva of mosquitoes, they will also enter the human body and cause infection. We often say that malaria is mainly transmitted in this way. I quietly tell everyone a secret: the villain is female mosquito.

Pentist agent (picture source: Veer gallery)

The struggle between humans and mosquitoes can even be traced back to two million years ago. Eighteen martial arts such as mint, lemongrass oil, DDT (organic chlorine pesticides), DEET, etc. are created. Various dew water exorcism water repellent water has almost become a must for us in summer. But these methods do not seem to eliminate insects fundamentally. Is there really no scientist who can "thoroughly" destroy the mosquito? Yes, there is really, that is the famous genetic engineering.

Second, mosquito -extinguishing gene project

Then let us follow the footprints of history, and see how our human beings use the "martial arts cheats" and mosquito tricks:

Gene engineering (picture source: standard Xiaozhi)

Wulin's cheats 1.0: In 1974, scientists radiated 57,000 male mosquitoes, destroyed their reproductive ability, and then returned to the African land. I hope that these male mosquitoes without fertility can find female mosquitoes. It is a pity that radiation has caused the physique of male mosquitoes to become poor, and it is difficult for them to have successfully mating with female mosquitoes, so this effort fails;

Wulin's cheats 1.1: In 2009, American scientists tried to modify the genetically modified mosquitoes and put the transformed mosquitoes in towns. After three months, the number of local mosquitoes was reduced by 80%-95 %, It is a devastating blow. However, after 18 months, when the number of mosquitoes in the research team was statistics, the number of mosquitoes was surprised to find a significant rebound.

This bizarre phenomenon attracted the attention of the research team. After a period of investigation and research, they found that there was a mosquito that had never appeared in the local area. This mosquito not only overcome the defects brought by genetically modified genes, but also had super strong resistance. Sex, it is difficult for people to destroy it with pesticides ...

1.2: 2021, a company named Oxitec in the United States. In the Florida Islands, the genetically modified mosquitoes made by more advanced genetic engineering technology are released to the nature. The complete test will be performed within two years, and it is expected that a total of 1 billion genetically modified mosquitoes will be released ...

Wulin Cheat 2.0: Too advanced and not showed (perhaps still staying in a scientist's brain)

Super mosquito (picture source: Global Network)

The above is only a small part. In fact, scientists have made a lot of efforts, and have many "martial arts learning." But these unique studies seem to encounter a problem: the genes of mosquitoes will also mutate in the natural environment. This is how to do?

3. After the Pandora Magic Box is opened

In these experiments above, there are always a few mosquitoes who survive under the blow of various learning. They may become super mosquitoes during the breeding process, which can immune to all "martial arts learning". Undertled. What's more, there are more than 3,600 mosquitoes that are currently recording in the world. It is really difficult to defeat them at the same time.

Similarly, if mosquitoes can survive in various "martial arts" by changing their genes, other pests should also be. Gene engineering technology is like a Pandora Magic box. It can be opened with the power of human beings, but after opening, what will the box jump out? Does humans have the ability to control the development of the situation? We don't know about these.

The mosquito is really annoying, but Zhuangzi once said that there is great beauty in the world, and there is a clear law without discussion at four o'clock. From the current point of view, we can't use genetic technology to fully extinguish mosquitoes. Maybe mosquitoes exist, and there is indeed the truth of nature.

Produced: Popular Science China

Author: Wu Yu

Produced: Chinese Popular Science Expo References:

2. Page M L. Gene Till Could Halt Malaaria spread [J]. The New Scientist, 2018, 239 (3197): 10.

Health, 2021, 5, E404.

4. fang, janet. Ecology: a world with mosquitoes. [J]. Nature, 2010, 466 (7305): 432-434.

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