Topic: Florida Keys

The endangered Key deer, a small subspecies of white-tailed deer in the Florida Keys, is reportedly threatened by rising sea levels. NOAA estimates suggest sea levels could rise between 1.5 and 7 feet in the next 75 years. The hosts mock the wide range of these projections and the "gentle" framing of the species' plight.

Scientists are investigating a phenomenon in the Florida Keys where over 30 species of fish, including endangered sawfish, are spinning uncontrollably and dying. While some researchers point to record-high levels of the neurotoxin-producing algae Gambierdiscus, others cite "off-the-charts" ocean heat. A separate study found that 100% of bonefish tested in the area contained traces of human pharmaceuticals, including opioids and antidepressants.

Biotech company Oxitec has released millions of genetically engineered male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in the Florida Keys to combat disease spread. The EPA recently approved the release of an additional 2.4 billion modified bugs in California and Monroe County, Florida. These lab-created insects carry a self-limiting gene designed to kill female offspring before they reach maturity, though critics remain concerned about long-term environmental impacts.

Florida officials consider using genetically modified mosquitoes from the company Oxitec to combat the spread of Zika. The technology, funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, involves releasing self-limiting insects to reduce the local mosquito population.

Observations of Fort Jefferson in the Florida Keys, which has sat roughly one foot above sea level since 1860, are used to question narratives regarding rapid sea level rise. The fact that the fort has not been inundated over the last 150 years is presented as an anomaly for climate models. Similarly, the "Mud Flats Report" from San Francisco indicates that local high tides have not yet impacted nearby low-lying freeways, suggesting that catastrophic coastal flooding is not currently evident in these locations.