Genetic Engineering of Plants and Animals is in Full SwingGenetically modified (GM) mosquitoes could be released into the U.S. environment as early as January 2012. A private firm is planning to initiate the release of the GM mosquitoes in the Florida Keys.
The first GM mosquito release took place in the Cayman Islands in 2009, and the second in Malaysia in 2010.
Now, residents of the Florida Keys, like those of the Cayman Islands and Malaysia, will be subjected to these genetically manipulated insects, without having any say in the matter.
"The mosquitoes are genetically modified with a gene designed to kill them unless given an antibiotic known as tetracycline.
Offspring of the GM mosquitoes will receive this same lethal gene which will kill the offspring before it can ever reach adulthood.
As more genetically modified mosquitoes mate with wild mosquitoes, the idea is that more and more offspring will be produced with the lethal gene, thereby reducing the mosquito population.
Of course the risks these mosquitoes post ... are highly unknown ...
With the release of genetically modified insects could come the downfall of both local and global ecosystems ..."
While the biotech industry remains steadfast in their official stance that genetically engineered foods and animals are safe and provide valuable benefits, reality is telling us otherwise…
Genetically Modified Foods Already Linked to Reduced FertilityUnfortunately, many people are still completely in the dark about the genetic engineering taking place, both in plants and animals.
I've written numerous articles about the health dangers of genetically engineered (GE) foods, and while I've not covered the issue of genetically modified animals to any great extent, this too is taking place. For example, sheep that are 15 percent human have already been developed in an effort to create spare parts for organ transplants, and goats have been engineered to deliver spider silk in their milk.
Cows have also been genetically engineered to create something more akin to human breast milk, in an effort to make cows milk more nutritious...The list goes on, but you probably get the gist.
While the rationale behind all of these experiments appears altruistic, the fact of the matter is that we're playing with and artificially altering carefully balanced systems. And when we do so, unexpected ramifications are virtually guaranteed to occur, because we simply do not understand all there is to know as of yet…
As for the release of genetically engineered "suicide" mosquitoes, what will happen to the local ecosystem when the mosquito population decreases or is eliminated entirely? While you and I may abhor mosquitoes, and while they do carry diseases like dengue fever and malaria, they are also primarily a food source for other life forms... Taking the myopic view that we simply want to eradicate a disease-carrying insect is dangerous in the extreme once you start to contemplate the impact it may have on the entire food chain, from the bottom to the top!
What exactly will happen when we increasingly begin to replace natural-born life forms with genetically engineered versions?
The truth is, we don't know! But we can make educated guesses, based on the best evidence available, that the end result will likely be less than ideal for human survival… It may seem obvious that no one would trade financial gains for the extermination of all life on earth, but that is in essence the path we've set ourselves on, with the ever-expanding array of genetically modified seeds and animals.
Genetically engineered (GE) corn- and soy have already been shown to reduce fertility in animals, and glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's weed killer Roundup, which is heavily used on GE crops, has also been shown to alter fertility.
For example, female rats fed GE (Roundup Ready) soy for 15 months showed significant changes in their uterus and reproductive cycle, compared to rats fed organic soy or those raised without soy. According to researchers, if women experience similar changes in the uterus lining and altered hormonal levels, it might increase the risk of retrograde menstruation, in which menstrual discharge travels backwards into your body rather than through your uterus. This can cause a disease known as endometriosis, which may lead to infertility.
The disorder can also produce pelvic and leg pain, gastrointestinal problems, chronic fatigue, and a wide variety of other symptoms.Genetically modified soybeans are called Roundup Ready.
They contain a bacterial gene that allows the plants to survive a normally deadly dose of Roundup herbicide. Although the spray doesn't kill the plant, its active ingredient, glyphosate, actually accumulates in the beans themselves, which are then consumed by livestock and humans. There is actually so much glyphosate in GE soybeans that when they were introduced, Europe had to increase their allowable residue levels 200-fold!
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