The latter, created by Brazilian agronomist Luciano Moreira, is based on releasing mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacteria in urban areas of his country. Wolbachia has proven effective in blocking the viruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

The study became one of the national measures for dengue prevention and the first Latin American research to be highlighted by the prestigious British journal.

The publication highlights in its list the most relevant figures in the scientific, medical, and technological fields, such as South African Precious Matsoso, recognized for leading the discussion of the first global agreement on pandemics, approved in May 2015. In the wake of Covid-19, this document offers guidelines on how countries should act in the face of a future pandemic.

The selection also includes the work of Chinese scientist Mengran Du, who observed a previously unknown ecosystem: red worms, snails, and other animals that thrive in total darkness thanks to chemical compounds that emerge from the seabed. It was the deepest animal ecosystem recorded on Earth: the hadal zone.

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