A recent article from The Guardian discussed plans to release 2.4 billion mosquitoes in certain areas of California to prevent the spread of invasive species over the next two years. They aren’t just ordinary insects though; they’ve been genetically modified by UK-based biotech company Oxitec. The altered mosquitoes are male, which don’t bite, and they contain a special protein that when paired with a female mosquito are only able to produce other non-biting males.
The U.S. Will Release Billions of Mosquitoes to Prevent Disease
The insects have been genetically modified with a protein that produces only male non-biting offspring.
Apr 1, 2022
