# Are there any current studies that show that GMOs are harmful? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2011, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-current-studies-that-show-that-gmos-are-harmful/598442 "2011-10-03T16:09:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-current-studies-that-show-that-gmos-are-harmful/598442/41 "2011-10-06T20:36:54Z")
There have been some strides in GM work in mosquitoes. One path was based on sterile males, to inhibit breeding. Another path involved making a mosquito that could not be a disease vector. You might have seen pictures of bioluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) bunnies and pigs. There’s no benefit to that, except as an easily traceable trait. However, if you could produce generations of glow-in-the-dark mosquitoes, we’d have bloodsuckers that would be more easily swatted. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-current-studies-that-show-that-gmos-are-harmful/598442/42 "2011-10-08T17:13:19Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > There have been some strides in GM work in mosquitoes. One path was based on sterile males, to inhibit breeding. Another path involved making a mosquito that could not be a disease vector. > > You might have seen pictures of bioluminescent (glow-in-the-dark) bunnies and pigs. There’s no benefit to that, except as an easily traceable trait. However, if you could produce generations of glow-in-the-dark mosquitoes, we’d have bloodsuckers that would be more easily swatted. I thought many years ago, when the USA was discussing Star Wars laser defence - a more practical application would be a device that detects mosquitos or other flying pests and zaps them with a laser so their innard boil. Mini-star-wars. If you could make mosquitos identify themselves by glow in the dark or when hit with an idenfication beam, that would be great - but more likely all it would do is make bioluminescence a survival disadvantage. Of course, a corrollary device would sit on the kitchen ceiling and zap any cockroach that showed itself. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-current-studies-that-show-that-gmos-are-harmful/598442/43 "2011-10-08T17:19:45Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > I thought many years ago, when the USA was discussing Star Wars laser defence - a more practical application would be a device that detects mosquitos or other flying pests and zaps them with a laser so their innard boil. Mini-star-wars. [It’s been done.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYXPqrXZ1eU) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-current-studies-that-show-that-gmos-are-harmful/598442/44 "2011-10-08T18:24:32Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > [It’s been done.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYXPqrXZ1eU) When can I buy one… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-current-studies-that-show-that-gmos-are-harmful/598442/45 "2011-10-08T20:18:27Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > > [@sh1bu1](#): > > > > Here is a list of things that as far as I know have not been established to be entirely without risk: > > > > Birkenstocks > > Vegan diet > > Raw food diet > > Tofu > > Bicycles > > Electric cars > > Solar panels > > Smug, self righteousness > > Raves > > Tattoos > > Knit hats in the summer > > Flying > Driving > Crossing the street > > (All, I suppose, entirely foreign to our “natural” environment. In that context, I guess maybe include: Climbing trees, swimming, chasing bears with spears, squatting over the wrong “bush” in the woods…) > > I have no idea what point I was making, I just made myself giggle and now I’m pressing submit You both forgot “Cute kittens and puppies”. An obvious risk of deadly “SKWEEE! Ain’t that CUTE!” responses. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-current-studies-that-show-that-gmos-are-harmful/598442.md?page=2)