We could kill all mosquitoes (but should we?)

Malaria-carrying mosquitoes kill hundreds of thousands of people every year. Scientists have found a way to get rid of them by spreading a gene to wipe out mosquito populations. But is it a good idea? Reporter: Louise Osborne Video Editor: David Jacobi Supervising Editor: Malte Rohwer-Kahlmann, Kiyo Dörrer & Joanna Gottschalk Special thanks to: Wadzanayi Mandevenyi and Naima Sykes We're destroying our environment at an alarming rate. But it doesn't need to be this way. Our new channel Planet A explores the shift towards an eco-friendly world — and challenges our ideas about what dealing with climate change means. We look at the big and the small: What we can do and how the system needs to change. Every Friday we'll take a truly global look at how to get us out of this mess. #PlanetA #Malaria #Extinction Read more: Malaria facts: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sh... Mosquitoes with gene drives study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s4146... International treaties on biosafety: https://bch.cbd.int/protocol/ What purpose do mosquitoes serve? https://blog.nwf.org/2020/09/what-pur... A world without mosquitoes: https://www.nature.com/articles/466432a Control of invasive species: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/... The promise of gene drives: https://www.nature.com/articles/d4158... Gene drives tested in mammals: https://www.nature.com/articles/d4158... Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:48 Why are mosquitoes dangerous? 02:26 The fight against mosquitoes 06:53 Concerns and cons 7:54 Stopping the spread 8:36 Impact on the ecosystem