Because there's not enough creepy crawlies in Australia — govt wants to release MUTANT genetically modified mosquitos into the wild...🦟To combat dengue fever, allegedly — scientists are worried about "insecticide resistance", and not about introducing a biologically modified species into the eco-system.
The GM species prevents female mosquitoes from surviving into adulthood. Only female mosquitoes bite, spreading the disease. 😄
💲British biotechnology firm Oxitec wants to SELL the strain to Queensland residents. Once released into the wild, they would breed with the local strain, thus reducing the population... in theory.
But how might genetically modified creatures, whose genes come from an entirely different environment fare in new conditions? And do we trust they're modified only to die early? Is there a watchdog on this?
Read more here: https://pnqk.me/dr2hgz