The Fall semester is over and we’ve just begun winter break. Not sure what I’ll be doing yet, but I’d like to share the following information – it’s a basic presentation about transgenic plants AKA GM crops. Plant genetic engineering is the focus of my academic studies and what I’m doing now builds the foundation upon which I will eventually establish a full career. I’m one year away from my BS degree, then I’m getting my Master’s.
It’s important for me to show people that GM food is not dangerous – genetic modification occurs naturally and GM plants are just as organic as any other. In fact, GM plants are good for the environment because they relieve farmers of the need for synthetic pesticides that harm many plants, animals, and often humans as well. Since the Summer I’ve been working with Japonica rice and studying the techniques of DNA transfer. I’d like to share my presentation with you so that you can understand the basics of plant genetic engineering and see that GM foods are perfectly safe, healthy, and 100% organic.
The video plays very fast, so you will need to pause it to absorb all the information properly. All images and photographs are © Adam Flanders.
You have tested it and writing form your personal experience or you find some information online?
Much of the food you already eat is genetically modified and this technology has been in use for years without any problems. GM occurs naturally even without our applying the technology directly. Microorganisms and plants are constantly engaging in vertical and horizontal gene transfer. These genes are not synthetic – they are naturally occurring. I would feel totally confident and safe eating a GM crop. Pesticides, on the other hand, are often synthetic and very toxic. As our population approaches 7 billion, we will need crops that can resist pests and environmental stresses like drought, flooding, and cold. This cannot come by way of pesticides.
GM crops also present us with a unique opportunity to develop medicine. Many people don’t know that the insulin used by diabetics is produced by bacteria (E. coli) that have been modified to contain a human gene that expresses for insulin. Many similar applications are being explored with plants. At the very least GM crops hold a potential to prevent famine and the introduction of Golden Rice has already shown this to be true in several developing Asian nations.
I would appreciate more visual materials, to make your blog more attractive, but your writing style really compensates it. But there is always place for improvement