May 2, 2022
There is a technology
called gene drives.
It asks the question:
what species should we make extinct today ?
Why are Bill Gates and
the US military involved in forwarding that technology ?
A gene-drive scientist
might say, “I have a plan. By manipulating genes, we can make invasive rodents
extinct, on an island where humans are living.”
In the next fraction
of a second, a flurry of questions pops up.
The overarching
question is: Does this mean genetic manipulation can make ANY species extinct ?
Here is a passage from
Gene Drive Files, a site with a referenced information on the subject:
“Gene drives are a
gene-editing application that allows genetic engineers to drive a single
artificial trait through an entire population by ensuring that all of an
organism’s offspring carry that trait. For example, recent experiments are
fitting mice with ‘daughterless’ gene drives that will cascade through mouse
populations so that only male pups are born, ensuring that the population
becomes extinct after a few generations.”
“Proponents have
framed gene drives as a breakthrough tool for eradicating pests or invasive
species. However, the Gene Drive Files reveal that these ‘conservation’ efforts
are primarily supported by military funds.”
Gene drive technology
could be deployed to wipe out troublesome plant-parasites, weeds, crops, animal
pests, animals, and…what about humans? Mull that over with your morning coffee.
Several years ago, UN
member nations were considering a recommendation to call a moratorium on the
use of gene drives. However, Bill Gates showed up to try to squash the
moratorium.
The Gene Drive Files
reports: “Documents received under Freedom of Information requests reveal that
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation paid a private agriculture and
biotechnology PR firm $1.6 million for activities on Gene Drives. This included
running a covert ‘advocacy coalition’ which appears to have intended to skew
the only UN expert process addressing gene drives…”
“Following global
calls in December 2016 from Southern countries and over 170 organizations for a
UN moratorium on gene drives, emails to gene drive advocates received under a
Freedom of Information request by Prickly Research reveal that a private public
affairs firm ‘Emerging Ag’ received funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation to co-ordinate the ‘fight back against gene drive moratorium
proponents’.”
There’s more from the
Gene Drive Files. It involves the military:
“A trove of emails
(The Gene Drive Files) from leading U.S. gene drive researchers reveals that
the U.S. Military is taking the lead in driving forward gene drive
development.”
“Emails obtained
through a freedom of Information request by U.S.–based Prickly Research reveal
that the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has given
approximately $100 million for gene drive research, $35 million more than
previously reported, making them likely the largest single funder of gene drive
research on the planet. The emails also reveal that DARPA either funds or
co-ordinates with almost all major players working on gene drive development as
well as the key holders of patents on CRISPR gene editing technology.”
“These funds go beyond
the US; DARPA is now also directly funding gene drive researchers in Australia
(including monies given to an Australian government agency, CSIRO) and
researchers in the UK. The files also reveal an extremely high level of
interest and activity by other sections of the U.S. military and Intelligence
community.”
For the moment, put
aside the notion of intentional extinction of species. Consider unintended
consequences.
As I’ve shown in past
articles, the latest and greatest gene-editing tools (e.g., CRISPR), which are
used for gene drives, are far from slam-dunk precise, despite official
assurances.
For example, this
study: Genome Biology, July14, 2017, titled, “CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome
editing induces exon skipping by alternative splicing or exon deletion.” An
exon is “a segment of a DNA or RNA molecule containing information coding for a
protein or peptide sequence.” So you can see that exon skipping or deletion is
a very bad outcome.
ANY gene editing done
on ANY species opens the door wide to all sorts of errors and unforeseen
consequences.
As for intentional
destruction, we have this: MIT Technology Review, 2/8/16: “We have the
technology to destroy all Zika mosquitoes.”
“A controversial
genetic technology able to wipe out the mosquito carrying the Zika virus will
be available within months, scientists say.”
“The technology,
called a ‘gene drive,’ was demonstrated only last year in yeast cells, fruit
flies, and a species of mosquito that transmits malaria. It uses the
gene-snipping technology CRISPR to force a genetic change to spread through a
population as it reproduces.”
“Three U.S. labs that
handle mosquitoes, two in California and one in Virginia, say they are already
working toward a gene drive for Aedes aegypti, the type of mosquito blamed for
spreading Zika. If deployed, the technology could theoretically drive the
species to extinction.”
“…a gene drive [gene
editing] can…make mosquito populations disappear. The simplest way to do that
is to spread a genetic payload that leads to only male offspring. As the
‘male-only’ instructions spread with each new generation, eventually there
would be no females left, says Adelman. His lab discovered the Aedes aegypti
gene that determines sex only last spring. The next step will be to link it to
a gene drive.”
Bill Gates favors this
technology. So shouldn’t we? After all, Bill is the number one humanitarian on
the planet, right ?
Right ?
No ?
Oops.
New Abnormal: Genetically Modified Humans
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