If you could snap your fingers and render one species globally extinct, would you?

In My Humble Opinion
1

You have been granted the magic fingers of extinction, one time use only. Snap them and name one species out loud and it will disappear forever from the face of the earth. Will you use this power? Upon what?

And note: we’re talking about a species - you might get away with several closely-related/allied species if you say ‘camels’ or ‘cows’, but if you say "bugs’ or ‘bacteria’, it just isn’t going to work, and by ‘isn’t going to work’, I actually mean the whole universe will explode, so be careful.

2

No, I wouldn’t.

3

Toxicodendron rydbergii

poison ivy

I’d really be concerned about the greater implications of getting rid of mosquitoes or something.

Maybe the Guinea Worm, though.

4

Would the HIV virus count as a species? I just don’t see where it’s doing any good. Off with ye.

5

I’d be seriously-tempted to do away with the mosquito, but I’ve seen too many dragonflies chowin’ down on them to so it. So… I probably wouldn’t.

In reality, I can’t snap my fingers.

6

Cockroaches.
Fruit flies.
Tapeworms.

7

No. I would render some of them “the fuck away from me” but I realize we need them to maintain balance on the planet.

8

Giant Pandas. They’re asking for it.

9

I’m going to have to nominate the candirú fish. Even Uncle Cecil appears to not like this little guy…

As far as I am concern there is no place for an animal who can swim into an open urethra and stick nasty spines into ones nether regions.

10

The bug that causes malaria.

I was tempted to write the cockroach, then I started to worry about something taking its place that was even worse.

11

I’d destroy HIV.

12

I’d destroy you, for showing up 7 posts too late. :wink:

Next choice? :slight_smile:

13

This was my vote, after reading the malaria article in the latest National Geo. They said that some scientists estimate that 50% of all the humans in history have died of malaria, and that it’s by no means controlled in most of the world even now.

14

HIV is a pretty freakin’ solid choice. I can’t think of anything else that would come close. If, however, researchers find out that cancer has a viral instigator, I’d choose that instead.

Daniel

15

Ticks, fleas, and the like.

If you can cast a vote for viruses/bacteria I’d rather opt for influenza/common cold or any of the bugs that cause pneumonia.

I’d concider malaria, but that could already be wiped out within a couple of years if we actually tried.

16

shrugs HPV (human papilloma virus) can cause cervical cancer…maybe there are other similar cases?

17

HIV
HPV
The Anopheles 'Skeeter (the malaria fiend)
The little amoeba that causes dysentery, unless it serves some useful purpose I don’t know about.
ants

18

Humans…hehe

Oh shi…

19

I was curious about malaria, and I found out that resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine has spread recently from Asia to Africa, making drugs ineffective against the most dangerous Plasmodium strain in many affected regions of the world.

So, malaria is back on my list.

Sorry.

20

Common houseflies.
I hate them. Cringe when I see them.

shudder