this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] ricecake@sh.itjust.works 61 points 2 months ago (2 children)

All of our best data on the impact says that it really wouldn't matter. Sometimes a species is a linchpin for the ecosystem, and sometimes it isn't.

Sucks for mosquitoes, but there's a very real chance that we'll smallpox them, and the biggest concern will be our confidence that the virus we use doesn't impact other species unintentionally.

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 33 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Hopefully we can do the same for bedbugs. Fuck bedbugs. I can smell the little fuckers

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Hey, at least pubic lice are going extinct!

[–] Cadeillac@lemmy.world 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I read that as public. I was pretty confused as to what you were talking about

[–] zerofk@lemm.ee 5 points 2 months ago

Just imagine what would happen if all lice were privatised.

[–] TrenchcoatFullofBats@belfry.rip 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Oh no! My patriotic merkin startup plans are ruined! I guess 'MericaMerkins was never meant to be...

[–] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Don't let Trump hear this idea

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 17 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Haven't read closely on it, but I've seen plenty of articles about the lack of effect we'd see over killing off mosquitoes. I have a feeling that, along with what you said, it's because they're tiny.

Consider the dragonfly. They hunt mosquitoes efficiently. But relative to their size, a mosquito is like us eating a candy bar, or even less. Meanwhile, they could snatch about anything else and it would be like a 3-pound steak.

[–] Unpigged@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Now that you say that, average us candy bar contains 200..250 kcal a piece. That's about 1/7th of BMR of an average healthy male.