Planet of the Mosquitoes
Written by: Yarden Navry
Usually, the first reaction to the letters combination of "GMO" is "OMG! GMO?? No!" The problem is that most people react this way without even knowing what Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are. While most people focus on whether it is "right or wrong" to use genetic engineering in agriculture and in the food industry, its unclear how they would react if it were reframed as a tool to fight one of the most dangerous animals alive: the mosquito.
The fight against mosquitoes has been waged since the dawn of humankind. In fact, as vectors for various fatal disease like Malaria, Yellow Fever, Dengue and Zika, these pests are often considered a top natural enemy of humans. Now a new GMO technology could help us eradicate these diseases forever by engineering mosquitoes.
Genetically modified mosquitoes could mate with wild females to pass on a lethality gene to their offspring that stops them from reaching maturity. This is a real technology: In 2015, GM male mosquitoes were released in some areas of Brazil and in Florida to help stop the spread of Zika virus.
One of the biggest concerns that rise from using this technology is the conscious irreversible change of the genetic code of a free-living organism. We must be sure that it is done right, since there could be unappreciated long-term consequences.
In addition to the practical concerns, many are concerned that humans cannot ethically change nature notwithstanding any religious beliefs. The English philosopher Roger Scruton said that the value of our relationship with nature is meant to be a sort of secular piety, characterized by a recognition of our ‘underlying fragility and dependence, and the attitude of respect toward the world and the creatures that live in it ’.
Genetically modified mosquitoes are a subversion of our previous relationship with the natural world.
Those ethical concerns, however need to be objectively balanced with the number and severity of pain and suffering caused by the mosquito.
