This isn't an unlucky mosquito — it's genetic engineering at its finest.
-
In the world of mosquitoes, it's the females that are capable of biting, unlike the males.
Their proboscis is strong and complex enough to complete every stage of the bite — piercing the skin, injecting an anticoagulant (which also causes irritation), and drawing blood.
Males, by contrast, are equipped with a simpler, weaker proboscis that isn't suited for biting.
-
This mosquito was genetically engineered using a technology called CRISPR.
Her DNA was altered so that her proboscis became more similar to that of a male, meaning she can no longer use it to bite.
-
We're no fans of mosquitoes, and this is a fascinating approach to solving the biting problem — but this mosquito's futile struggle to find a meal is genuinely heartbreaking.