Should scientists be genetically modifying insects and letting them loose on the environment?

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Should scientists be genetically modifying insects and letting them loose on the environment? Even if that meant reducing disease or some other "benefit" to the ecology?
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/millions-gmo-insects-released-florida-keys-28466683

Comments

Ethan Wright (Patches) said…
I just have to ask why you put quotes around benefit since preventative measures against disease is a pretty sound benefit.
January 25, 2015 at 8:15 PM
Jeff Chapman said…
Yes... Let me ask you this... Should we cross breed plants or animals? We don't fully know what could happen... We've never had a crystal ball to see the future, we do the best we can with the information we have...
January 25, 2015 at 8:25 PM
Ethan Wright (Patches) said…
So according to that thought process we'd haven never gone to space, cross an ocean, fight for a Ebola cure or have any of the bananas we have today(serious we're not eating the bananas that your parent ate). I hate to say it but genetics have been an aspect of society that until recently people didn't care about.  Doing the best with what information we have is exactly what we're doing. And we do cross breed plants and animals. Ever hear of a Mule? It's a horse and a donkey and it's sterile. Enjoy flowers? Well many many breeds today are the results of cross breeding, and cross breeding is a less precise method of genetic manipulation. Yes we should be careful with moving forward but absolute fear based not on fact but prejudice and not science is a dangerous road.
January 25, 2015 at 8:33 PM
Ethan Wright (Patches) said…
Can you explain how the people are going to be guinea pigs? They're releasing males, just males. Which aren't the ones who suck blood like with the females.
January 25, 2015 at 8:46 PM
Ethan Wright (Patches) said…
There, your actual point is made and your not just nay saying against anything labeled GMO. Angry is a poor term and not very nice. So far i thought we had handled this comment thread nice and civilized. Now I respect your point on guinea pigs.
January 25, 2015 at 8:58 PM
Jason ON said…
What if I told you that decades ago scientists were cultivating a "new" bug in Florida that was supposed to eat mosquito larvae? What if I told you those insects weren't supposed to be able to breed outside of a lab? What if I told you that those insects got out, that they breed massively and that they have no natural predators? What if told you there were so many now that they clog air filters, are so thick you sometimes can't breathe and their guts cover auto windshields to make seeing impossible? Would you still be all for genetically modified insects?
January 25, 2015 at 9:02 PM
Ethan Wright (Patches) said…
Since cane toads were brought to Australia under the guise that they ate cane grubs and well they didn't and its caused a major ecological issue. So this has happened already. And I'm sure yes I would be assuming that as with all technology things improve and change. But asking hypotheticals doesn't change my current position on genetically modifying things. As with any science of should be explored and tested and put through the ropes to the fullest we are aware of. If we wanna pose hypothetical would you allow your children to be sprayed in chemicals to kill insects only to find out later the chemicals are well less then healthy to say the least? This has happened already. Mistakes are made but assuming its a mistake or it will lead to some awful plague is just wrong. This project isn't something that's just suddenly appeared it's literally years into development and testing.
January 25, 2015 at 9:12 PM
Chaudhury Shoaib said…
Just can't afford to stop development but need to proceed very very cautiously and extremely regulated way. One single mistake nobody knows what will happen....
January 26, 2015 at 9:17 PM
Chuck Jackson said…
Jason ON Short answer - NO.... Reason - there are ALWAYS unintended consequences that we cannot predict or prepare for...
January 30, 2015 at 3:27 PM
Jason ON said…
That was my point, Chuck Jackson, but I seem to be in the minority here.
January 30, 2015 at 3:56 PM
Chuck Jackson said…
Jason ON I'm with ya, brother! LOL
January 30, 2015 at 3:57 PM
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