The Facts

• A team of scientists from Australia's Macquarie University in Sydney is genetically modifying black soldier flies to increase their consumption of humanity's organic waste.

• In a paper published Wednesday in Communications Biology, scientists said black soldier flies could curb the planet-warming methane emitted into the atmosphere when organic waste breaks down.

• Black soldier flies aren't pests, don't bite, or carry diseases. Their larvae can be pet food, digest all kinds of human waste, and even be processed into plastic.