Get the latest tech news

Genetically engineered mosquitoes with "toxic" semen could kill females and curb spread of disease, researchers say


Female mosquitoes are targeted because only they bite and drink blood, thereby spreading diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.

Genetically engineered mosquitoes with toxic semen could be a new weapon against tropical disease, Australian scientists said after trialing the novel pest control method. Scientist Sam Beach from Australia's Macquarie University said the method "could work as quickly as pesticides without also harming beneficial species." The malaria parasite spreads to people bitten by infected mosquitos, and causes initial symptoms including high fever, headache and chills.

Get the Android app

Or read this on r/technology

Read more on:

Photo of researchers

researchers

Photo of disease

disease

Photo of spread

spread

Related news:

News photo

21st-century chainmail uses molecular instead of metallic links | The "highest density of mechanical bonds ever achieved," researchers created a flexible material that works like chainmail. The breakthrough has already demonstrated its ability to improve body armor.

News photo

Brain-Controlled Bionic Hand Offers Most Advanced Artificial Touch Yet | The new brain-computer interface device goes "beyond anything that has been done before," the researchers claim.

News photo

Researchers in Finland have invented a new type of material to develop microscopic memristors that mimic brain activity. These memristors, with their exceptional properties, could be key to curbing the growth in electricity consumption driven by AI.