What’s scarier? Murder hornets or more than 750 million genetically engineered mosquitoes? The future is definitely here and genetically engineered mosquitoes are now preparing to invade the Florida Keys.
Unlike their stinger-clad counterparts, the mosquitoes have the blessings of local authorities, set to release the itchy insects to help control their deadly cousins, known as Aedes aegypoti, according to the Monroe County Mosquito Control District. Experts say aedes aegypoti are known to carry an assortment of potentially fatal diseases, such as Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
The government mosquitoes, named OX5034, have been genetically modified to produce female offspring that die in the larval stage, meaning only males will survive. Only females feed on blood, which is how they spread disease. However, not everyone is on board with the effort. Jaydee Hanson, policy director for a local safety group, calls the plan “a Jurassic Park experiment.”
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