Re:'Alarming' loss of insects and spiders recorded
by RcouF1uZ4gsC on Sunday November 03, 2019 @12:14AM
(#21432124)
I am still old enough to remember “Silent Spring” and the fear that all the birds were disappearing. This lead to the banning of DDT. Unfortunately at the time there was not as good a substitute for mosquito control that matched the low human toxicity and persistence of DDT. As a result, millions of people, mostly children died from malaria and other mosquito borne illnesses.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Re:'Alarming' loss of insects and spiders recorded
by viburnum on Sunday November 03, 2019 @11:02AM
(#21434631)
Tobacco companies promoted this myth about how great DDT is because they were trying to undermine health science generally. It’s a right-wing scam. Don’t fall for it.
http://crookedtimber.org/2007/05/30/ddt-tobacco-and-the-para...
Re:'Alarming' loss of insects and spiders recorded
by bwb on Sunday November 03, 2019 @12:44AM
(#21432237)
Wow got a link? Millions and where was this?
Re:'Alarming' loss of insects and spiders recorded
by nngrey on Sunday November 03, 2019 @01:56AM
(#21432427)
Africa has been the hardest hit. Progress has been made in reducing deaths in recent years, but millions is not an exaggeration and children have often been the victims. While most of us have a negative attitude towards DDT because of its impact on the wildlife, it did play an important role in controlling mosquitoes and reducing malaria infections in the past.
https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/malar...
http://www.healthdata.org/research-article/global-malaria-mo...
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ddt-use-to-combat...
Re:'Alarming' loss of insects and spiders recorded
by bwb on Sunday November 03, 2019 @08:33PM
(#21438216)
Thanks all, reading!
Re:'Alarming' loss of insects and spiders recorded
by _Microft on Sunday November 03, 2019 @05:07AM
(#21433057)
Go have a lot at https://www.ourworldindata.org, they definitely have articles on Malaria and progress over time.