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How has genetic engineering impacted humans everyday life
Genetically modified organisms impact on daily human life
Genetically modified organisms impact on daily human life
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Summary:
Recently, MIT Technology Review’s editor published an article about the future of GMO. To provide some context, GMOs are genetically modified organisms that are artificially altered using a process known as recombinant DNA technology. GMOs have faced a lot of controversy, mainly regarding the health implications of GMOs. Currently, plant scientists and startups have avoided creating new genetically modified crops, due to the large costs and long approval times for new crop modifications. As a result, large agricultural and chemical producers, such as Monsanto control basically the entire GMO market and turn it into a very lucrative business. The outcome of this situation is a scary amount of dependency on a handful of profit-oriented companies that genetically modify seeds to maximize profits, rather than to improve the well-being of the consumer.
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According to Rotman, gene editing is “cheap, powerful , and precise” (Rotman, 2017). New technologies, such as CRISPR do not insert a foreign gene to change a trait but instead change the organism’s existing DNA. What this means for scientists is that gene edited organisms could take less time to develop and pass regulations, effectively lowering the price of research of beneficial modifications to crops. More importantly, this creates a new opportunity for scientists to create their dream crops, such as “blight resistant potatoes, tastier tomatoes, drought tolerant rice, and high fiber wheat” (Rotman, 2017). To date, there has been little innovation in creating such crops, which represent a much smaller market than the lucrative production of herbicide resistant crops and pesticides. If gene editing catches on to large groups of scientists, it could result in the return to creating food that is both healthy and
Whilst some refer to transgenic organisms as, “Frankenfoods”, the proponents see this as the second Agricultural Revolution. Biochemists cite the classical example of a transgenic banana which could produce vaccines as a means to continue their research. Undoubtedly if such a banana did exist it could potentially provide millions if not billions of people access to vaccinations. The chair of the Food and Agribusiness Institute at Santa Clara University states, “Bioengineering is just a more refined process [of selective breeding], which will probably result in more productive animals and plants at a lower cost than traditional breeding methods.” This “more refined process” has served to create corn, which is resistant to pests such as corn borers; tomatoes, which can resist cold temperatures and have increased traveling durability; and arguably the most important, cattle which is resistant to mad cow disease. Aside from the clearly visible genetic advantages provided by transgenic organisms, proponents further cite the colossal economic impact of GMOs. PG Economics issued a report which reveals the net economic benefit at the farm level in 2011 was $19.8 billion, and over a 16 year period from 1996 to 2011 the global farm income gain was $98.2 billion. This 16 year period coincides with the adoption of transgenic cropping systems.
Genetically modified? That alone should be a cause for alarm, and have you wondering, what exactly is in this that I am eating? Yet every day millions of American’s choose to load up on food filled with GMO’s, and not even know it. First we must understand what GMO’s are. GMO’s are any organism whose genetics has been altered using genetic engineering. We should not be tampering with nature, and should try to grow organically as much as possible. There has not been enough research on GMO’s to know the potential long term effects it can have on us, so this is why GMO’s should be banned.
Our attitudes toward GMO foods range from hostility to indifference. GMO foods, like pesticide-resistant Roundup Ready soybeans and fast-growing salmon, seem to exist primarily to pad corporate pockets. Most people are not aware that they are eating GMO foods. The greater percentage of the population is just looking at the price tag instead of what is in the food product. This technology has the potential to provide sustainable nutrient rich food sources throughout the ages if the science is not abused for the food industry’s
Pamela Ronald, a plant geneticist, presented a Ted Talk “The case for engineering our food”, Ronald points out that engineered genetics for our plants is not harmful, yet better for our environment and health. “Now, genetic modification is not new; virtually everything we eat has been genetically modified in some manner”(Ronald).
Genetically modified foods or GM foods are foods that have been changed to improve the size of the product and to progress the efficiency of food production. Genetic engineering can be done on both plants and animals and are processed to make the desired characteristics that are required for selling. Genetically modified food has become a controversial topic because people have different viewpoints on which type of food is better for their health. Many protests were created to ban genetically modified foods because of the harm that it caused to the people and the environment. Although people have different opinions towards this topic, there are numerous advantages and disadvantages in producing and consuming genetically modified foods.
One of the most controversial topics discussed in the world of medicine pertained to the topic of genetic engineering. Some doctors saw it as tool of world destruction, however many of them seeing it as a chance of potential cures and treatments. Charles Darwin first introduced this idea. In his first publication, The Origin of Species, he introduced the idea of survival of the fittest. He stated that evolutionary change was only possible due to the genetic variation between each generation, including the combination of different characteristics. In other words, he wrote that only those who had desirable characteristics, in terms of survival, would be able to pass down their genes. If two bred and possessed desirable characteristics, then the desirable characteristic would strengthen, modifying the genes. Darwin’s theories have been the base of many medical breakthroughs that contributed to genetic engineering. The idea soon influenced medicine, the idea of strengthening the healthy cells and isolating them from the unhealthy ones. The simple idea Darwin discovered had changed medicine as a whole. Today, doctors and scientists are able to manipulate genes in order to create new treatments and cures. Today, Darwin’s discovery changed and saved millions of lives around the world. Despite the fact that genetic engineering can have a negative impact on society, it was an important discovery due to the advancement in conventional medicine.
GMOs has been around for nearly 50 years. It is something that has emerged itself within our lifestyles and become something that appear in our daily lives, whether it’s on the shelf in grocery shops or on your plate right know; GMOs can be found almost anywhere. However, although the production of GMOs have certainly increased over the years, opinions on it has differed. Some people have come to believe it is dangerous for our health, while other people has stated the exact opposite. Something that
Just as the market for GM foods has increased, the level of opposition has increased as well, even up to the point of terrorist action against producers, growers, and sellers of genetically modified foods. So the question is posed, will GM foods be the future or the failure of our agricultural system? Key Interests Represented On the surface, there are two main actors in the conflict over GM foods: those who are for, and those who are against. Unfortunately, the situation is not nearly as polarized as that, with many key players falling in the middle of the spectrum. The first and most obvious supporters of GM products are the biotech companies who produce and patent GM products.
How many of you hear the words “genetically modified food” and immediately think “BAD”? How many of you scorn the idea that genetically modified foods are useful? How many of you have been manipulated by the media to think that all biotechnology is evil? Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms that have been genetically spliced to achieve a certain trait. As the demand for a larger food supply is increasing due to population growth, the benefits that GMO foods provide are being hailed as the only solution to the food crisis. However, many people are making inadequately informed decisions, and are pushing them to the back shelf. I will inform you on why genetically modified organisms may be the only way to a stable, safe future for the less fortunate.
The most wonderful activity a human being can experience is new flavors and foods. For example, the first time a person tastes a delicious juicy piece of prime rib or a delightful hamburger with cheese and ham, his world is never the same. However, since the beginning of the twentieth century, the production of food has been supplemented by science. This has triggered an angry dispute between the people who support the advances of biotechnology and people who love nature. In order to understand the controversy, we have to know the meaning of genetically modified foods. With new technological advances, scientists can modify seeds from a conventional seed to a high tech seed with shorter maturation times and resistance to dryness, cold and heat. This is possible with the implementation of new genes into the DNA of the conventional seed. Once these "transgenes" are transferred, they can create plants with better characteristics (Harris 164-165). The farmers love it not only because it guarantees a good production, but the cost is also reduced. On the other hand, organizations such as Greenpeace and Friends of Earth have campaigned against GMO (“Riesgos”) because they think that they are negatively affecting the earth (Gerdes 26). Both the advocates and the opponents of genetically modified foods have excellent arguments.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a cause of continuous debate. What would be the purpose of producing genetically altered food? Many argue that GMOs could prove to be very beneficial, the use of GMOs could lead to advances in medicine, and agriculture, and they could also prevent famine in poor underdeveloped countries. Genetic modification offers many benefits: pest control, disease resistant crops, drought resistant crops, no use of insecticides, nutritional beneficial foods, and less contamination. This is only a short list of the many benefits offered by the used of GMOs. With so many benefits why are we opposed to such a miracle? (NERC 2005)
Genetically modified food’s, or GMOs, goal is to feed the world's malnourished and undernourished population. Exploring the positive side to GMOs paints a wondrous picture for our planet’s future, although careful steps must be taken to ensure that destruction of our ecosystems do not occur. When GMOs were first introduced into the consumer market they claimed that they would help eliminate the world’s food crisis by providing plants that produced more and were resistant to elemental impacts like droughts and bacterial contaminants, however, production isn’t the only cause for the world’s food crisis. Which is a cause for concern because the population on the earth is growing and our land and ways of agriculture will not be enough to feed everyone sufficiently. No simple solutions can be found or applied when there are so many lives involved. Those who are hungry and those who are over fed, alike, have to consider the consequences of Genetically Modified Organisms. Food should not be treated like a commodity it is a human necessity on the most basic of levels. When egos, hidden agendas, and personal gains are folded into people's food sources no one wins. As in many things of life, there is no true right way or wrong way to handle either of the arguments and so many factors are involved that a ‘simple’ solution is simply not an option.
According to scientists, genetically engineering crops contributes to their quality. Crops that have been genetically modified to have a particular trait can decrease the amount of herbicides needed for growing that crop. Additionally, genetically modified (GM) crops can help third world countries, where malnutrition is common. For example, to help diminish nutrient deficiencies in developing countries, “plans were underway to develop a golden rice that also has increased iron content”(Whitman 2). In addition, GM crops can be modified to be able to “withstand the environmental challenges of drought, disease, and insect infestation” (Swenson 1). Growing GM crops can also result in fruits and vegetables that stay fresh for a prolonged period of time and taste better.
Scientists and the general population favor genetic engineering because of the effects it has for the future generation; the advanced technology has helped our society to freely perform any improvements. Genetic engineering is currently an effective yet dangerous way to make this statement tangible. Though it may sound easy and harmless to change one’s genetic code, the conflicts do not only involve the scientific possibilities but also the human morals and ethics. When the scientists first used mice to practice this experiment, they “improved learning and memory” but showed an “increased sensitivity to pain.” The experiment has proven that while the result are favorable, there is a low percentage of success rate. Therefore, scientists have concluded that the resources they currently own will not allow an approval from the society to continually code new genes. While coding a new set of genes for people may be a benefitting idea, some people oppose this idea.
The current use of technology for GMOs is very useful. Less pesticide is needed to be used for insect pest resistant plants. Technology cuts down on the time it takes to grow a crop. Technology can produce more food for less work and less money. “GM crops are frequently perceived as a ‘technological fix’, proposed by those who fail to address the underlying causes of hunger and poverty, which really require economic, political and social change” (Nuffield Bioethics 29).