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A comment on Malaria breakthrough as scientists find ‘highly effective’ way to kill parasite. Parent comment

Re:Malaria breakthrough as scientists find ‘highly effective... by sobani on Friday September 13, 2019 @04:14AM (#20960172)
In 1958 China wanted to eradicate 4 pests: the mosquitos responsible for malaria; the rodents that spread the plague; the pervasive airborne flies; and the sparrows which ate grain seed and fruit.

Guess what the result was: it exacerbated the Great Chinese Famine, in which 15–45 million people died of starvation. Because with no sparrows to eat the insects, locust populations ballooned, swarming the country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Pests_Campaign

Don't eradicate a species, before you're really sure it's not going to cause much larger problems.

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Re:Malaria breakthrough as scientists find ‘highly effective... by mullingitover on Friday September 13, 2019 @03:46PM (#20965706)
> "Scientists say research conducted so far indicates that the targeted mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, is not a "keystone" species – meaning its disappearance would not have a significant negative ecological effect." [1]

[1] https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/03/01/6987087...

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