Photo Gallery Self-Destructive Mosquitoes
A biotech labratory in Oxford has succeeded in creating genetically modified mosquitoes that only produce dead offspring. Mass releases of the creatures on Grand Cayman island and elsewhere, however, have some scientists worried.
Preventing mosquito bites remains one of the most sure-fire ways to avoid mosquito-borne illnesses, such as here in Thailand. But some have high hopes for genetic modification.
For decades, humanity has tried to limit mosquito-borne illness, using all manner of insecticides and other techniques. Genetic modification is promising, but the potential risks have not yet been thoroughly explored.
The British lab that developed the GM mosquitoes claims that the mosquito population on Grand Cayman island dropped by 80 percent following the release.
