'Self-destructing' gene to stop bee-killer mite

'Self-destructing' gene to stop bee-killer mite

thescotsman.scotsman.com

Conservation groups are welcoming a breakthrough in the battle against a deadly mite responsible for decimating the honeybee population.

The Varroa mite is the biggest killer of honeybees worldwide and has developed a resistance to medication developed to destroy it.

But now scientists from Aberdeen University and the government's National Bee Unit have developed a genetic technique that could stop the mite in its tracks.

The mite, which looks like a tiny brown crab, hitches a ride on the bee, draining its blood and weakening its immune system. It takes just 1,000 mites to kill a col

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I found this article to be somewhat.....interesting.

While we all know that there's been a decline of the worlds honeybee population, this news is a little bit unnerving, not because of the ability to stop a killer mite, but its applications could be used to commit genocide and kill of a nations entire livestock population if the technology falls into the "wrong" hands.

The genetic manipulation to target a specific species. It sounds a bit scary knowing what kind of destructive power genetic technology may be able to accomplish.

I don't know. I'm glad for the honeybees but I'm woeful of what the future may hold for the human race.

thescotsman.scotsman.com
(visit the link for the full news article)