this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] BaroqueInMind@lemmy.one 238 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (8 children)

Mosquitoes have killed more humans than every disease ever (edit: when you obviously exclude malaria) along with every war ever, combined.

Fuck those little shits. Let them all die, it will literally change nothing on this planet because nothing solely survives off predation on mosquitoes or their larvae.

[–] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 167 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

But what will happen when the humans lose their natural predators, we might destroy our habita- ah, right. Nevermind

[–] Assman@sh.itjust.works 45 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Mosquitos are just trying to save the planet by murdering as many humans as possible

[–] explodicle@sh.itjust.works 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Here's a Venn diagram:

O Humans getting killed by mosquitos

O Humans at fault for habitat destruction

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[–] Wild_Mastic@lemmy.world 37 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (9 children)

If those creatures that also eat mosquitoes cannot eat them anymore, that means they would have to eat other bugs more frequently, and possibly fucking up all the ecosystem.

That said, fuck mosquitoes, they can take blood from other places.

[–] ricecake@sh.itjust.works 61 points 3 weeks 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 3 weeks ago (5 children)

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

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[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 17 points 3 weeks 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.

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[–] protist@mander.xyz 22 points 3 weeks ago

They're largely applying this technique to invasive species of mosquitoes, eg Aedes aegypti, which is a potent vector of disease and native of Africa that has spread worldwide only within the past 200 years

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[–] jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works 104 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

I would not want to see things like this done to the overwhelming majority of living things. But mosquitoes, I say let them starve.

[–] thesporkeffect@lemmy.world 58 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 16 points 3 weeks ago

Most dangerous animal in our forests

[–] Hule@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Isn't the blood only needed for procreation?

[–] Quetzalcutlass@lemmy.world 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Yes. Some (not all species) female mosquitoes drink blood for the protein, which they need for egg production. Their actual diet is nectar from flowers.

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[–] fsxylo@sh.itjust.works 103 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

I know it's not that deep but if you type a whole ass paragraph in all caps I want to beat you with a shoe.

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 24 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] Psaldorn@lemmy.world 27 points 3 weeks ago
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[–] jaggedrobotpubes@lemmy.world 100 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

This is a crime against nature and god and decency, and mosquitos are probably the only place I'd be absolutely, completely for it.

[–] Tlaloc_Temporal@lemmy.ca 29 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

There are probably a few handfuls of other parasites that would count too.

[–] Hule@lemmy.world 30 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 44 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)
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[–] CptEnder@lemmy.world 59 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Ok but mosquitoes historically are the #1 killers of humans, by an order of magnitude. This could be argued as a form of evolution. We simply engineered them out as a threat. GG get gud scrub, see you in 3 million years when you have your own AI generated bioengineering.

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[–] rustydrd@sh.itjust.works 57 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Up next on Info Wars: "They're turning the mosquitoes gay!"

[–] Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 36 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

Sounds more like they are turning them trans than gay. So like a test run of the leftist plan for Republicans. Oh wait, are we allowed to talk about this outside of the secret meetings yet?

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[–] thedeadwalking4242@lemmy.world 50 points 3 weeks ago (9 children)

Tbh I wouldn’t be sad if we genetically modified mosquitoes to breed them out of existence like we’ve done with screw worm.

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[–] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 49 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

Right, but consider:

Fuck them bugs

[–] loutr@jlai.lu 35 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Hey, most bugs are cool and an important part of their ecosystem.

Mosquitoes tho ? Yeah, fuck them.

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[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 44 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

VEM

Vegan
Except Mosquitos

[–] thesporkeffect@lemmy.world 42 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

I know what you meant but I just imagined someone grimly eating mosquitoes out of pure spite

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[–] Smokeydope@lemmy.world 41 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

I am a hippy nature person who tries to be merciful and kind to plants or insects. The exceptions are mosquitoes and ticks. Those fuckers want to take my blood and dont settle for one serving if they get the chance. Were in a biological armrace and so far we've been loosing. Let's see how they like being fucked with.

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[–] normalexit@lemmy.world 41 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I find the compromise acceptable. Please roll out the mosquito killing technology asap.

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[–] Leate_Wonceslace@lemmy.dbzer0.com 38 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I actually love seeing mosquitoes struggle to survive. I don't care if they're incapable of morality, they're evil and I hate them.

[–] racketlauncher831@lemmy.ml 22 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

I hate them too but they are just trying to eat and breed, just like us. So kill them with mercy.

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[–] bad_alloc@lemmy.dbzer0.com 36 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

We have suffered for millions of years under mosquitos are they are likely the biggest killer of humans in history. Maybe us evolving big brains and developing genetic engineering is an evolutionary necessity?

Or as Harbinger said: “We impose order on the chaos of organic evolution. You exist because we allow it, and you will end because we demand it.”

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[–] P00ptart@lemmy.world 36 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

I mean, have you ever seen a pug? They're fighting for air their entire life. Or chihuahua's? Awful personality and bred out of usefulness.

[–] cjk@discuss.tchncs.de 22 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Chihuahuas can have a not completely closed cranial bone (is this the right word?), which means if you pet them at the wrong place you literally can touch the brain and potentially kill them. My mood would be bad, too, if this was the case for my body.

Pugs also can have their eyes popping out if you handle them wrong (e.g. gripping them at their neck).

The head of King Charles Spaniels are to small, meaning their brain does not have enough room. This can lead to brain fluids getting stuck in the head, which increases pressure on the brain, leading to infathomable headaches, hallucinations, motor deficits, etc, pp.

Breeding some dog breeds should really be prohibited.

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[–] yamanii@lemmy.world 35 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

As a Brazilian, I won't feel sorry for these fuckers.

[–] Klear@lemmy.world 34 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm from Buenos Aires and I say kill 'em all!

[–] dejected_warp_core@lemmy.world 24 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

The only good bug is a dead bug.

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In pretty much every other context, yeah. But for real, fuck mosquitoes.

[–] Zip2@feddit.uk 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

It’s a bit like watching a pug dog try to breath.

[–] nednobbins@lemm.ee 25 points 3 weeks ago

I get the feeling of discomfort but it's basically the same feeling we get when someone breaks a pencil

There is no evidence that a mosquito is capable of feeling the kind of despair or horror that a human would feel in a similar situation. It's unlikely that mosquitos can form emotions at all.

At the same time, a huge portion of human-animal interactions involve the human controlling the animal in ways that they animal can't even comprehend. A dog has no idea you're doing operant conditioning to change their behavior. Pigs have no idea they're being fed just so they and their children can be eaten.

The only way to avoid this kind of thing is to turn off your big human brain and go back to ape tier. We might need to go farther down the tier list than that though https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gombe_Chimpanzee_War

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 24 points 3 weeks ago

Genetically engineer them to grow to the size of Cessna. Ride them to battle

[–] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 19 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

That seems mild.

Could we try to convince the males that they are the ugliest things on earth so they find large animals that can step on them?

Maybe come up with a liquid that you put in standing water that makes the mosquitoes grow very tiny legs and a very large left wing? You know, so they have to fly to move and they can only fly spinning like crazy.

I got a better one! Make them neon bright and glow in the dark. Make those fuckers be the center of attention. I'm talking kids with nets and old guys with cameras and microscopes with single mosquito flashes (like 1 mosquitoes per photo). And of course sugar sweet flavor? Everything under the sun trying to find them and eat them as snacks. I kinda like this one the best.

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[–] discusseded@programming.dev 16 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

This is amazing. Far better than killing them off.

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