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Bed Bugs Will Outlive All Of Us Unless We Screw With Their Genes
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Feb 2, 2016
Modified Feb 2, 2016
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Feb 2, 2016
Modified Feb 2, 2016
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Bed bugs, like cockroaches and new seasons of The Bachelor, seem impossible to eradicate from the face of the Earth, no matter how many exterminators our landlords call to spray that one time and then never, ever again. But Science says there's some small hope for the extinction of a moviegoer's biggest fear—screwing with their genome.
Scientists have managed to map the genome of the common bed bug, revealing some fun things about the little suckers. For instance, bed bugs are actually able to break down toxins, like the ones an exterminator might use, to render them harmless, allowing them to survive even when you try to whack them with bug killer. They've also been MUTATING, producing genes that make them resistant to certain insecticides and making it all the more difficult to eradicate an infestation. Another fun fact is that bugs' genes vary from location to location—a Brooklyn bed bug will have a different genetic sequence from a Queens bed bug, though both are equally disgusting.
Bed bugs also inbreed, and their sex is quite violent. This violent sex has been well-documented, and for those of you who have not yet seen Isabella Rossellini's bed bug porno, you're welcome, and sorry:
The takeaway here is that bed bugs have been able to hold us hostage for a long time, but scientists might be able to murder them, provided they make a few genetic tweaks. First, though, let's kill all the mosquitoes.
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genes
Rebecca Fishbein
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