I chose an article about genetic engineering because it has always been a topic that has interested me. I wrote a 30 page paper on this subject in one of my English classes a few semesters ago, and I really enjoyed learning about the benefits that come from genetic modification. This article talks about the genetic modification of tomato plants, and about a breakthrough that scientist have made in their production.
In this article, it discusses a breakthrough that allows scientists to cut the time required to modify the genes of tomotoes by six weeks. Originally, this process involves using the DNA from the original tomato plant, modifying them, and then reinserting them to create a new plant. This process is now being sped up significantly. The whole process that once took 17 weeks, is now taking 11. This means that through genetic modification, the crop yield of these tomatoes is also significantly increased.
Tomotoes however are just the beginning. As soon as this new process is perfected, it can be applied to other crops as well. This means that many of the food shortage problems that the world is dealing with could be solved. Raising crops continues to become an easier process, and discoveries like these are the reason why it is happening.
What are the effects of genetically modifying our produce? Are we aware of any negative consequences when consumed?
ReplyDelete-Ashley B.
i studied this quite a bit for my plant science classes and for the most part any produce purchased from the store is genetically modified in one way or another and there is very few cases where this affects the health of the consumer. So this most likely won't show any negative consequences.
Delete-Sidney A.
I agree with Sidney. I have also studied this fairly well in some of my past classes, and a lot of the negative impacts of GMOs are exaggerated by the media. There really has never been proven to be any negative side effects to genetically modified foods. Of course there is always the slight possibility that some harmful effects of this process haven't been discovered yet, but we can't base our opinions on the things we don't know. We have form our opinions on known facts.
DeleteMaybe it doesn't harm us or show any negative consequences, but does unmodified produce do much more good for us than modified produce? J. RYAN
DeleteThat is an interesting topic as well. we always see produce sectioned off in the supermarket because it is "organic". Organic produce is also a lot more expensive. Is this just a scam to get us to pay more money? or could it really be more beneficial for us?
DeleteIn other science classes I have learned about certain vegetables that have been genetically modified to produce a better product such as corn. Corn would easily grow worms inside of it but it has since been modified and is a much healthier product. That is only one that I can remember but I know there are many others. D.B.
ReplyDeleteI am really interested in genetically modified foods also. I am majoring in botany so I have spent quite a bit of time studying this. It is an undoubtedly compelling that scientists can shortening the crop yield that much.
ReplyDelete-Sidney A
Its crazy to think that we don't know everything about genes, but yet we know enough to be able to write a 30 page paper about them... SN
ReplyDeleteIs genetically modified produce related at all to weight gain? I am asking this because my mom is convinced that GMO are unhealthy. A.M
ReplyDeleteSadly yes: based off of a study scientists did in Norway - they fed 2 groups of rats corn for 90 days. Group A had GMO corn while the other had naturally grown corn and group A ended up not only having larger appetites but had gained more weight than group B. - CDMartin
DeleteWhat is it about the Genetically modified produce that makes people gain weight and have bigger appetites?
DeleteKP
This article seems fishy to me. I feel that they do not go into very much depth as to how they are able to shorten the genetically modified tomatoes. They give the general idea of inserting the DNA into a new plant but I feel there are many pieces to this they are leaving out and it makes me concerned about what I am eating. A.M
ReplyDelete