# If you could snap your fingers and render one species globally extinct, would you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 13, 2007, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633 "2007-07-13T12:32:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/41 "2007-07-13T15:51:34Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] What, no crows or pigeons or seagulls yet. Flying rodents. [/QUOTE] Who’s our member here, the stunningly handsome bird researcher from New Jersey who’s name starts with I think a “B”? She gonna come tousle your hair with some proper science! I’d go with rats, damn the weaponized (re)percussions. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/42 "2007-07-13T16:01:20Z")
But [Would Are Eco Sytem be Ok If We Extincted Mosquitos?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=83579) I still miss the guy-- I hope nobody’s gotten his ya. For those of you who do not know what the hell I’m talking about-- the only poster I know who got banned for being stupid on purpose. Oh wait! There was another! This other was banned for pretending to be stupid. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/43 "2007-07-13T16:06:18Z")
Heh, good ol’ WB. Damn but that title was hard to read. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/44 "2007-07-13T16:52:58Z")
Homo Sapiens. Completely serious. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/45 "2007-07-13T17:08:42Z")
I think I’m with the few opting to eradicate humans (this act, of course, would take an unlikely moment of lack of sense of self preservation). We’re not terribly well balanced in terms of the ecosystem and if one species could go that would do the best for the most other species, well. The nasty viruses and such are nasty but part of a balanced setup in the big scheme of things-- only a problem in overpopulated groups-- but we humans tip the balances too much with our fancy big brains and opposable thumbs. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/46 "2007-07-13T17:12:39Z")
[QUOTE=WotNot] Giant Pandas. They’re asking for it. [/QUOTE] Die, they must die, the pandas must die; Die, they must die, the pandas must die! All endangered species leave endangered feces; If you knew how bad they smelt, you would gladly take their pelt! ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/47 "2007-07-13T17:29:03Z")
I’m a bit surprised nobody’s mentioned [fireants](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_ant) yet. I guess most of you have never had to deal with 'em. After living all of my life in Texas, one of the things I love most about living in the Pacific Northwest is being able to lay down on the lawn without having to worry about whether there’s a fireant nest within sight. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/48 "2007-07-13T17:30:14Z")
[QUOTE=Lightnin’] After living all of my life in Texas, one of the things I love most about living in the Pacific Northwest is being able to lay down on the lawn without having to worry about whether there’s a fireant nest within sight. [/QUOTE] The absence of two inch long cockroaches is probably nice too. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/49 "2007-07-13T19:35:37Z")
[QUOTE=Athena] 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. [/QUOTE] Ditto. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/50 "2007-07-13T19:47:24Z")
I think wiping out mosquitoes would have too large a ripple effect on other species (birds who feed on them, and the like). My vote is for the [Guinea worm](http://www.dhpe.org/infect/guinea.html). Nasty fuckers, those, and other species don’t depend on them to my knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/51 "2007-07-13T20:10:11Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] Who’s our member here, the stunningly handsome bird researcher from New Jersey who’s name starts with I think a “B”? [/QUOTE] Her user name is **brachyrhynchos** , which she takes from the scientific term for the [American crow.](http://museum.nhm.uga.edu/gawildlife/birds/Passeriformes/cbrachyrhynchos.html) ---
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/52 "2007-07-13T20:20:19Z")
Bedbugs. Die, all of you. I’d rather have an infestation of just about anything else. (Including wiener dogs, actually.) ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/53 "2007-07-13T22:03:58Z")
Malaria’s getting a lot of hate in this thread. What about tuberculosis? I think it’s the disease that kills the most people. ---
**Author:** ![Charger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Charger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charger)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/54 "2007-07-13T22:08:53Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Would the HIV virus count as a species? I just don’t see where it’s doing any good. Off with ye. [/QUOTE] It’s not snapping the fingers, but global monogamy would wipe out HIV in a single generation. Go ahead and have lots of sex, of any kind and any position with any gender, but just keep it within one partner. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/55 "2007-07-13T22:25:37Z")
I just read the Guinea worm link. Kill it, kill it now, yesterday would be preferable. ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/56 "2007-07-13T22:36:01Z")
I’d get rid of yeast. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/57 "2007-07-13T22:51:29Z")
[QUOTE=DJ Motorbike] I’d get rid of yeast. [/QUOTE] Are you INSANE!!! No bread and, most of all, no beer! ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/58 "2007-07-13T23:02:20Z")
Yes, life would suck without yeast, but if it has to suck for me it has to suck for everyone else too. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/59 "2007-07-14T03:53:04Z")
Another vote for humans. The world wasn’t a paradise before we took over, but it would be better off without us now. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633/60 "2007-07-14T03:55:08Z")
Yep, I’d eliminate humans. They’re a blight on the landscape, and I would have no regrets in doing so. Unless it counted as murder, but as any killing is tantamount to similar I guess I’m being given the absolved freedom to do it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-snap-your-fingers-and-render-one-species-globally-extinct-would-you/411633.md?page=4)