Essay about The Dilemma of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Plants and animals have been modified by traditional means since the advent of pastoralism and agriculture through selective breeding. Naturally, humans will strive to improve upon this process which afforded mankind with the ability to even begin building societies. The true issue with GMO's is the oversight and business aspect. Private companies modifying plants to force farmers to buy seeds annually allows them to recoup their costs and turn a profit but comes with a whole sleuth of ethical and health implications. On the other hand, with farming land and water becoming scarce and earth's population rapidly growing in many regions, one can't deny the vital importance of GMO's. Taking all this into consideration I believe the discussion should not be centered on the merit or acceptability of GMO's, but rather regulation, oversight, ethical standards, and research, allowing for a logical development to take place in a transparent, efficient and fair manner. I believe that a topic so central to all of the mankind needs to be centralized to a degree in everybody's interest. There needs to be a sense of communal ownership, with strong limitations on patenting organisms, while also ensuring the financial viability of development, either through subsidies or other

Over the past few decades a new controversy has arisen in the scientific community: should Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) be used in modern society. There are generally two sides to this debate: one being in favor of GMO use and the other against it. Pro GMO activists believe that GMOs can help address hunger issues and help reduce use of pesticides/insecticides while Anti-GMO activists state that it is a threat to the agriculture industry, and should be banned. Both sides have several valid points, however GMO’s are even more complicated from initial glance, and may not be as dangerous as some believe.

In order for a person to make a smart logical decision regarding a pro or anti-GMO position one must understand what a GMO is. A plant that is genetically modified and then the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of one plant is forced into another kind of plant to be considered a GMO. This process takes place in a laboratory. It is not limited to just plants. Animals can also be modified. Viruses, insects, bacteria, humans, and animals can all supply the foreign DNA. Some researchers also refer to the process as Genetic Engineering(GE) (10 Reasons”).

The concept of intentionally altering an organism’s DNA in order to produce genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has been critically analyzed by both science and the mainstream media in the last decade. However, the genetic modification of organisms is not a recent innovation as humans have been modifying organisms for over 30 000 years (Rangel, 2015). Back then, breeding through artificial selection was the most prominent method of genetic engineering. Organisms with the most desirable traits would be bred together in order to create a new generation of superior organisms. Throughout the centuries, the developments in science and technology have resulted in new methods of genetic engineering. Now, genomes can be spliced in order to insert or remove genes. It has essentially come down to a copy and paste process with genes from animals being inserted into plants as the common practice.

People need to realize that the world is actually doing this for the better. Imagine being able to prevent disease in humans and all other organisms with the help of producing medicine with animals. “I don’t think anybody in the world will turn down a drug from a transgenic animal if they need it… Or a transplant.” (Anthes, 54) A transplant!? Oh yeah, this science is advancing so much that they are developing ideas that intend to allow humans to safely and effectively use similar organs found in animals such as pigs to be used for transplants such as livers! Now it’s starting to make sense why scientists are doing what they are. They are not trying to harm anyone, and so far they are doing a pretty good job. Society seems to believe that this developing science is harmful to the world, and is unfair to animals. That should not be societies outlook; in fact it should be quite the opposite. 97-99% of people at least occasionally eat meat, that being said it seems most people truly don’t have a problem with how animals are treated on farms just to be made into food, so biotechnology should not be accused for mistreating animals and their conditions. Biotechnology is not doing anything worse than we already are; as a matter of fact it’s helping the world most likely once its influence

The term GM food are most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. Genetically modified plants have been widely publicised as the future in agriculture. Many believe that it may help improve crop harvests and farm productivity by developing genetically modified crops that can either resist pests or chemicals. But despite the promise that GM crops may offer, there are still doubts that linger among a number of people as well.

In todays society, people are more concerned about what they put into their body. They eat healthy and maintain a stable diet, but unknown to a number of these people is their food may have been tampered with in the form of Genetically Modified Organisms or, for short, GMO's. Genetically Modified Organisms are plants or animals whose DNA has been altered to favor a certain characteristic or trait which is already in the DNA. This includes enhancing the DNA in plants to make them bigger, invincible to pests, or invincible towards weeds. Although, the reason why GMO's are a controversial topic is because of lack of knowledge. Genetically Modified Organisms are risky and potentially to dangerous to be handling because of the unknown side effects

Recently, there has been a huge uprise in reports from all over the world of new diseases that have affected much of the population today. Diseases such as obesity, Alzheimer’s, Celiac Disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and so much more have been on the rise. Researchers have suspected the culprit of these diseases to be our food. Along with the diseases, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) has also been on the rise. The more poor food we eat, the greater the potential harm to our health. One of the poor foods we consume is GMO: the altering of genes in food to produce desirable effects. These effects can range from an improvement in nutritional value, texture, flavor, and a longer shelf life. These

The genetic engineering of foods has, in one sense, been in existence for hundreds of years. The first time Gregor Mendel bred different varieties of pea plants to observe the various traits present in their offspring, the concept was born. Today, genetic engineering has developed into one of the most complex and advanced fields of scientific thinking, all the while provoking many questions and acquiring many opponents along the way. While there are compelling arguments presented for each side of the issue, the simple fact is that genetically modified (GM) foods are a reality, especially in the United States, as they are already present in many products that are consumed on a daily

Over 70 percent of the foods we eat today are genetically modified (GMO: genetically modified organisms)! This means that it contains genes that had been revised from the original. Although GMO foods are used commonly, are people really aware of its effects? According to research by many scientists and engineers, genetically modified food cause failure ,in the long run, to the body. GMO foods are classified to the illness side of the health continuum. The second reason as to why GMO foods are not safe is that they are ignored by the government. Lastly, not only do genetically modified food injure consumers, but they also leave negative impacts on the environment and the food chain.

When speaking about genetically modified or genetically engineered organisms, an important distinction must be made. This new breed of technology does not use traditional means of gene

Genetically Modified Organisms have the ability to help cure the most deadly of disease while also being able to cause famine if used incorrectly, and these are just a few of the amazing possibilities that GMO’s as a whole present to us. While the field of GMO’s is large and expansive there are a few areas that researchers are focused on because of the amount of possibilities with them, these include genetically modified crops, microorganisms, bugs and other small creatures that spread disease. The potential amount of impressive things that could come from these fields is large, some examples being improved crop life during situations that would kill normal crops, the possibility to cure various diseases with modified microorganisms, and

In the other hand GM critics worry that transgenic crops could harm wildlife and cause lasting damage to fragile food chains. What will happen if GM farming practices wipe out weedy plants that some bird’s species rely on for survival? Or if insects that are important

The introduction of GMOs in the food industry has provided some relief on the population demand for food. However, this comes with the concern of possible release or escape of transgenic species into the wild and the effects that this would have on natural environment.

Are Genetically Modified (GM) crops safe for environment? Might organisms and environment be harmed by GM crops?