Why in news?

• A recent study of genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States has raised hopes of controlling disease-carrying mosquitoes.
• For this experiment, the scientists engineered a gene that will kill the female offspring.
• It was done to reduce the population of wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that is a vector for viruses like chikungunya, and dengue, zika, and yelow fever.
• Genetically engineered mosquitoes are an alternative to insecticides to control insect populations.