According to the Biotechnology Industry Organization, “biotechnology
is technology based on biology - biotechnology harnesses cellular and
biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products that help improve
our lives and the health of our planet”. The most common form of biotechnology
in the modern era would be the use of genetically modified plants and animals,
specifically for human consumption.
There are different viewpoints on whether or not GMO’s
and other genetically modified foods or animals are ethical. In the pro-biotechnology
article Healing, Fueling, Feeding: How
Biotechnology Is Enriching Your Life, they state that “more than 13.3
million farmers around the world use agricultural biotechnology to increase
yields, prevent damage from insects and pests and reduce farming’s impact on
the environment”. The subsequent backlash of GMO’s by the public and other
groups has forced the USDA to create the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology
and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21). One of the most pronounced areas where the
AC21 committee has focused most of their attention is on “how farmers who
produce different crops intended for different customers-biotechnology-derived,
conventional, or organic-can best co-exist and produce the crops that meet
their customers' needs” (USDA.gov).
While the main concern in the
beginning part of my blog post is the use of biotechnology, there seems to be a
fad on biotechnology in the media as it has been commercialized. The latest
example of this is the continuance of the Jurassic
Park series. Jurassic Park (dir. Spielberg,
1993) follows scientists who have created genetically modified dinosaurs that inhabit
a theme park. This use of biotechnology is key to the premise, originally
created by author Stephen King, and has allowed for the continuing conversation
of whether or not biotechnology is ethical or moral. The latest installment of
the Jurassic Park is the creation of Jurassic World, which is set to premiere
in June 2015, and follows the same premise of genetic modification of animals
in order for human entertainment.
Sources:
Hi Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you mentioned the use of GMO in our food as an application of biotechnology. GMOs are very much needed if we are to feed the increasing population, but people are wary of eating GMO's because they are deemed unnatural. This example shows the abundant benefits of biotechnology, but how people are afraid of new biotech ventures due to the combination of biology and technology being "unnatural". Also, I did not know that a new department in the USDA was created in response to the backlash of GMOs. Thanks for sharing this!