Chapter 1559 The man who changed the world (second update, please subscribe)
In the early morning, a Cessna 172 four-seat light aircraft took off from the airport.
"That's what we do."
After the plane took off, Professor Kniplin said to Zhang Jiuyuan next to him:
"It is to eliminate tsetse flies! Tsetse flies are also called tsetse flies and tsetse flies. They live in the Sahara Desert and Africa south of it. But this little bug is nothing more than a nightmare for the African people. . Because the only food for this insect is the blood of humans or animals. When people are bitten by it, they are likely to suffer from a fatal disease - sleeping sickness."
Zhang Jiuyuan, who graduated from the Department of Biology of Chang'an University, certainly knows what the tsetse fly is and its impact on Africa.
"People and domestic animals in southern Africa are deeply infested by tsetse flies and trypanosomes. Whether it is humans, cattle, sheep, horses, camels, or even crocodiles or monitor lizards, any vertebrate animal may be harvested Sleeping sickness caused by fly bites is the leading cause of death in many places.”
Zhang Jiuyuan said curiously:
"Professor, didn't you eliminate tsetse flies in East Africa through biological control?"
Biological control of tsetse flies, similar to mosquitoes, uses radiation to cause male sterility, and then uses sterile flies to eliminate the flies. This control method invented by Professor Knipling was adopted by the United States as early as ten years ago to eliminate screwworm flies in the southern United States and relieve problems in the local livestock industry.
However, what Zhang Jiuyuan didn't know was that Professor Knipling originally came up with this idea to prevent screwworm flies. However, at that time, it was a ridiculous idea, and Nipling did not even dare to use it. He went to apply for research funding for his project, and it was at this time that he received a letter of appointment from Nanyang University.
At Nanyang University, he received a research grant, and his target changed from screwworm flies to mosquitoes. Now it's the African tsetse fly.
"Yes, that's right. Over the past five years, we have been eradicating tsetse flies across East Africa by continuously releasing laboratory-raised, radiation-castrated male flies into the wild. We do this every day. Released over a million tsetse flies ”
When introducing the situation here, Professor Kniplin pointed to the grassland outside the barbed wire fence and said:
"This is why, in recent years, East African beef has begun to appear in the domestic market, because the tsetse flies in this area have basically been eliminated and will not pose a threat to cattle herds. The fundamental prerequisite for the development of animal husbandry.”
As soon as the professor finished speaking, a company employee next to him said:
"Yes, if it weren't for the professor's invention, the losses caused by the presence of those flies to the cattle would be immeasurable, and we would not be able to develop animal husbandry here."
The clerk pointed to the pasture outside the window and introduced:
"It used to be fields, but now it has been turned into pastures. In fact, these pastures are idle farmland for fallow rotation. In the past, they could only be left idle there. Because of the threat of flies, the risk of raising cattle is very high.
But now these cultivated lands are excellent pastures,”
"Isn't this great?"
Zhang Jiuyuan looked at the professor beside him with some confusion and said:
"Doesn't this just prove that the method taught to you is correct?"
"This method can be effective, but it is just like we have eliminated mosquitoes in the city, but there are still many mosquitoes in the wild."
Professor Kniplin said somewhat helplessly.
"Although there are currently no screwworms in East Africa, new screwworms will still fly in from areas outside East Africa. After all, they are still widespread in other parts of Africa. Therefore, we still have to continue to release castrated male versions along the border. Fly.
As you can see from the map, East Africa only occupies a small part of Africa. For such a long time, the cost of releasing flies on the border is very high.
Moreover, doing so will only treat the symptoms but not the root cause. ”
Looking at the confused professor, Zhang Jiuyuan said directly
"In that case, why can't we release those flies into other areas?"
"Yes, it is a choice."
Professor Kniplin thought for a moment and then said:
"And all of us know this option. If we can release those sterile flies throughout Africa, then maybe we can continue to expand the release area step by step in the next 20 to 30 years. , and ultimately achieved the goal of eliminating all tsetse flies, but..."
Turning to look at Zhang Jiuyuan beside him, Professor Kniplin said:
"But do you know how big Africa is? It's tens of millions of square kilometers of land.
If we want to realize this plan, it will not only take 20 to 30 years, but also a large amount of funds.
funds! ”
Professor Kniplin frowned, and then said in an angry tone:
“The biggest question now is where does the money come from?
The Americans, the British, and the French have money to provide to African countries, let them build buildings, build roads, and turn those columns into luxury houses in New York, Paris, and London.
The Russians and other Eastern countries have money to export song titles here and have money to support the people they support in fighting wars, but no one among them is willing to spend even a cent to control tsetse flies. ”
When the voice fell, Professor Kniplin emphasized again:
"Even the United Nations would rather waste money on those incompetent African governments than spend money on this.
Because they are not willing to save Africans at all. Their so-called saving Africa is just to gain some fame.
Except us..."
Professor Kniplin's tone became deeper and he said:
"Apart from us, we are the only one in the world who spends a lot of money every year to save these people. Only we are really helping them. Helping the people here."
Looking at Professor Knipling and listening to his words, Zhang Jiuyuan seemed to understand at this moment why the cereal company wrote that on the recruitment poster.
"We give them civilization, modernity, and the future!"
Because it is indeed giving this land a future and modernity.
Just like eradicating tsetse flies, we are using modern science to help the people here and change the status quo of this land.
"That is to say..."
Zhang Jiuyuan looked at the professor beside him and said.
"We have no way to really eliminate them."
"Yes, at least until the international community really takes action, until they abandon politics and no longer use political goals, but truly put themselves in the shoes of this land to help this land, we have no way."
This is the truth!
Although for the professor and his colleagues, they hope that through their efforts, they can completely eradicate the tsetse fly. Thereby saving this disease-plagued continent.
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However, limited by funds and national borders, there is not much they can do.
“It’s true that those countries keep saying they want to help Africa, but what exactly do they help?”
Rather than complaining, Zhang Jiuyuan said it was because he was too young and he didn't know at all that for those countries, they didn't care about the lives of Africans.
Never mind that the tsetse fly kills millions of people every year, kills tens of millions of livestock, and impoverishes the land.
All they care about is to bring this country into their own camp, and all they need is the owner of the magnificent presidential palaces in the capitals of these African countries,
As for the people on this land, no one cares at all.
Of course, this does not prevent them from inciting and provoking wars in the name of the local people.
This is the cruelest place in the real world.
"This is the most hypocritical part of those countries. They are opposed to colonialism and they are opposed to our investment here.
In their view, the most important thing has never been whether the people's lives here are good or bad? But, whose camp does this belong to?
For Africa, the biggest danger has never been colonialism or the exploitation of large foreign companies, but poverty, disease, and tsetse flies. Once exposed to the wild, tsetse flies may bite local people and people at any time. Livestock, which greatly limits local economic and social development, is an important cause of poverty in southern Africa.
But no one cares about this, because it is not important. ”
The company employee standing aside complained and said:
"What can we do? The only thing we can do is do what we can do within our capabilities, just like now... at least we saved the people here."
"At least we saved the people here..."
Looking around and looking at this ancient land, Zhang Jiuyuan felt a certain sadness in his heart. This sadness was more of sympathy. He sympathized with the people here, sympathized with the suffering they suffered, and sympathized with them. everything suffered.
But the most fundamental sympathy is... no one cares about them at all!
Looking at some local aborigines in the distance and the luster of their dark skin in the sun, Zhang Jiuyuan sighed and said after a long time:
"I think I understand why you support the East African Federation..."
Looking at the local workers, Zhang Jiuyuan said:
"Because we are the only ones who care about them, and only we are willing to help them. Perhaps, our help is because of the food here, but... I think this is the reason why we are willing to really help them.
Only with our help can we truly change this land and lift Africa out of poverty! ”
Nodding, Professor Kniplin said:
"But who can understand?"
Then he said in a rather angry tone.
"Even here, we helped them eradicate the tsetse fly, we saved millions of people, but they see us as accomplices of the colonial rulers, and they completely ignore the contribution of the company to this place. They are more willing to believe in the deception of some people than the contributions made by the company.”
This is exactly the helplessness of a scientist. Although he knows what he is doing here, he cannot stop others from pouring a layer of ink on his work.
What makes him even more incomprehensible is that the local people who benefited from it cannot express their gratitude for their work with a grateful attitude.
"In the international community, they all seem to care about this place, but they accuse the company."
"Big countries, everything is due to the interference of big countries. They use the banner of opposing colonial rule. What do they want to destroy?
That's what we do here. ”
When he said these words, the sun shone on them, seeming to cast a halo on their bodies.
No matter how outsiders may not understand the efforts of these people, they know very well that their work is to save this ancient, primitive land.
Their work is destined to change the entire world.
(End of chapter)