Innovations in gene editing offer transformative potential across health and environment. An international team used CRISPR to introduce a naturally occurring allele into Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes' FREP1 gene, halting malaria transmission without harming mosquito viability. This allele-drive strategy offers a new paradigm distinct from mosquito elimination or foreign gene insertion. Separately, genome engineering concepts promise restoration of genetic diversity in endangered species, utilizing gene editing to counteract genomic erosion and facilitate conservation efforts. These genetic technologies open new avenues in infectious disease control and biodiversity preservation.