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What is something that 2020s kids will never get to experience? (midwest.social)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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[โ€“] 88 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Bugs hitting the front windshield in extraordinary numbers.

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  • [โ€“] 13 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    what happened to the bugs?

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  • [โ€“] 39 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    It's two things, one personal vehicles are designed to bend air around them rather than slice through or just brute force through air resistance. This means that more bugs are pushed out of the way with newer vehicles now, compared to older vehicles which just had the bug hit the windshield. The second and much more impactful reason is because the insect population has dropped significantly in the last 25 years.

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  • [โ€“] 8 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    the insect population has dropped significantly in the last 25 years.

    Why has that happened?

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  • [โ€“] 4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    fluid dynamics simulated on computers helped air-bending, that's cool. i knew about the bees disappearing, but bugs in general too?

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  • [โ€“] 5 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Unfortunately yes. This story by NPR isn't an academic source but it's definitely worth listening to. On average bug populations have declined by 2% a year for decades or more in some areas, less in others. It's an average.

    Now truthfully, whether or not a declining bug population is the main cause of fewer bugs on our windshields or if it's better aerodynamics I don't know. What I do know is a more aerodynamic vehicle isn't something I need to worry about, a declining bug population is.

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  • [โ€“] 2 points 2 years ago

    Bees are just cute. Its insects in general, and all are important. I mean insecticides, fungicides and herbicides are there for a reason.

    Our soil is completely dead often, without animals, fungi and herbs. And so is the ecosystem

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  • [โ€“] 27 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    We managed to kill off a third of the entire bug population during the last 25 years or so.

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  • [โ€“] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    Huh, I think they all flew to Mexico, I did a road trip from Mexico to Austin TX recently and I do recall having not many bugs in my windshield in the USA... But back home to Mexico they all started to appear LMAO.

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  • [โ€“] 1 point 2 years ago

    I just drove through Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas and confirmed there are still enough bugs out there to make you use a squeegee when you fill up for gas. But I remember when I was younger having to stop just to clean the windshield or else you wouldn't be able to see.

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