iamwizzerd t1_j9xh6nm wrote
p-d-ball t1_j9xqvt0 wrote
Yeah, DDT was widely used to kill insects. It successfully got rid of malaria in the continental USA to Canada (malaria used to be all the way up to southern Canada), combined with draining swamps, pavement and sewer systems (to drain water away). Mosquitoes returned, but not with malaria, which requires a minimum population to spread.
DDT was also used to stop bedbugs. They are making a comeback partly because it was stopped, but probably also because of growing social inequality - extremely poor people just don't have the means to kill them where they live. And some people are immune to the itchiness and so aren't motivated enough to kill the bedbugs feeding off them.
DDT, it turns out, weakens bird's eggs. So, raptors were dying out all over the place.
iamwizzerd t1_j9xs98v wrote
Wow thanks
p-d-ball t1_j9xupj9 wrote
For sure! Want to hear the crazy part? We used to use a product made from chrysanthemum, which is a flower, to kill insects. Massive industry, made in Japan. That industry collapsed with WWII and never recovered, partly because DDT was so cheap.
That kind of sucks, as the flower was obviously natural.
iamwizzerd t1_j9xwu73 wrote
Dang this is just a whole rabbit hole isn't it?
p-d-ball t1_j9y4sku wrote
CAPITALISM KILLS EVERYTHING
^(I'm joking for the sensitive bankers out there.)
Amorougen t1_j9y8m4l wrote
You still get that chemical in pesticides.
p-d-ball t1_j9ybfse wrote
That's great!
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