Can Black Soldier Flies Save Our Oceans?

Scientist, Philip Taylor believes the Black Soldier Fly may be the answer to the missing link in the food chain that is currently destroying the world’s oceans. Taylor tells us, “Every pound of farmed fish we eat requires five to 10 pounds on average of small, wild fish—such as herring, anchovies, and sardines—to raise it” It’s natural for animal feed to include insects, but as a result of an old canning law, it’s been disallowed.

With inventor, environmentalist and part crusader, Philip Taylor, a postdoctoral fellow at Duke University, and a research associate in rainforest ecology at the University of Colorado Boulder, we discuss sustainability, ethics, boundaries, and the potential, unintended consequences of scientific advances. We explore the dangers of doing something primarily because science can, rather than responsibly researching whether it’s truly a good idea.