Monday, January 26, 2015

Mutants In The News — "Mo' 'Squitos, Mo' Problems" Edition


To combat the dengue fever and chikungunya viruses, the FDA is considering the release of millions of genetically-modified mosquitos (made by your friends at Oxitec!) into Florida swamplands.  The modified critters—all males—carry a "suicide gene" and will theoretically mate and pass on the same trait to their offspring, thereby eliminating huge chunks of the blood-sucking population.

While successfully tested in other countries, the FDA option is under heavy scrutiny, with many headlines clearly going for the hysteria angle.

If only there were some way to release mosquitos that feed on pythons....

And what a great origin concept for Gamma World's own soul besh, aka "skeeters"!


1 comment:

  1. Or sci-fis Mansquito. Of course, we've already had irradiated screwflies and tsetse flies and (disappointingly) no mutants.

    ReplyDelete