Have we not yet learned our lessons with engineering bacteria and germs? Are we so naive we have forgotten what covit has done for us in the past 18 months.

Amen. Any lifeform will do what it can to survive. It will soon forget what we engineered it to do.

Yes indeed. I hear the vaccines help lifeforms to forget and survive in isolation.

This article scares those who are already chemophobic (a large majority of people, for understandable but unscientific reasons). I read and understand the original research, but the objective (lindane) was banned for its main use in agriculture over 20 years ago. Ag waste (straw) is not likely to be collected and landfilled. Lindane is still an optional prescription treatment for head lice, hardly a high-volume application,and unlikely to contaminate landfills. In other words, as research it is worthwhiie; as practical health help, it is not. The comments relating to Covid are also understandable and scary, but likewise misleading and unscientific.

Quite frankly, this whole pandemic is all out of proportion and being used as a scare tactic by all. This coupled with the global warming rubbish is beyond a joke. We simply have no idea what nature is up to and we certainly have no idea how the planet should be. All assumed to what our needs are and what we think it should be to suit ourselves. So much for evolution of mankind. Too busy trying to adapt the planet to ourselves rather than adapting to the the planet.

Its not the chemophobia that worries people, it this constant underhanded manipulation by idiots who think five minutes ahead to the money rather than thinking, what crap will I cause later on and what and whom will I affect with my clever idea. Master plan be buggered, time for some common sense and less deciding for everyone what some AH thinks best for us all.

I wrote about insecticides and the practical value (or nonvalue) of research, as I thought this now-theoretical chem work was being sold as enviro-significant today. I'm not surprised that the replies related to Covid, as so much is today (I'm guilty of that too). But I don't understand, if people have no idea what nature is up to, how they can think about what crap will they cause later on? Should these Zurichers who studied deactivation of lindane have foreseen danger and not done this work?

Just my opinion, from life. Man has decided he nows best for everything yet really knows nothing about nature, space, the universe or anything else. We have become theoretical in life and believe we are not wrong yet, so much has proven to be wrong that man has done. All these atomic tests that were conducted have resulted in years later, affecting daily lives. Yet, many lied that it was safe and had no repercussions. They knew it was not safe yet avoided stating it was dangerous. For the benefit of the masses. However, the money, fame and glory was the end goal and to heck with the atolls, marine life, the repercussions on the earths crust was not an issue. Never quite factored into any equation.

Lindane is replaceable with natural remedies from nature, Anise oil, cayenne pepper, neem oil, clove oil, rosemary and tee tree oils all work. We all (should), know this but want some pharmaceutical company to spoon feed us. They care not a jot as it boosts profits catering for people laziness and ignorance, so realistically, why bother to complete the research in full if it jeopardizes profits. I believe anyone doing any research that affects humanity has a duty to look forward and assess the risks, but that my opinion and how I operate. Profit speaks louder than words, and as they say in Africa, corruption may be bad,...... but it works, ....world wide.

I add as an after thought, there is other ways to deal with bacteria with natural methods than creating bio bugs to sort out our mess. Having lived in India, I understand the problem they have and the mess they have there. Delhi has no hills at all, however, it has now, It is the local dump site.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/garbage-mountain-at-delhi-s-ghazipur-landfill-to-rise-higher-than-taj-mahal-by-2020/story-RC0kwZdUmdHHfDs3rJGngI.html

Too polarized for me. We know a lot, and we are sometimes right, but can't afford to think we are always right. It isn't always clear -- the atomic tests helped win the big war and deter others, so have positive value, too, if we value human life.

As for lindane, there are natural insecticides but costs may affect price of products. Natural includes some bad things, too (viruses, earthquakes, castor beans and tobacco/cancers) and synthetics give us medicines, protect our edibles and irrigate our food-growing fields. I need to consider the thing not the origin.

We need corporate economies of scale, which also means competition and regulation. Otherwise the insecurity-driven push to maximize money takes over, which I join you in seeing and opposing even if the earners/shareholders are our colleges, our pension funds and even charities. I accept the idea of profits as interest on borrowed money, but not pathways to excessive power. Not ideal, as who says what excessive is, but what else is there that works, not just among the educated but everywhere?