Genetic Modification is a technology that frightens a great many people because it is tampering with the DNA of our foods. While the process and technology of GMO is relatively new to human engineering, we have been modifying our foods through the process of crossbreeding for millenia to make it tastier and more nutritious and to improve its resistance to disease and drought. Genetic engineering holds the promise to speed up the process of engineering food for the results we desire because technology is able to more accurately target the desired genes.
There is a tendency, however, to associate the process and research with Big Food and specifically unpopular agricultural corporations such as Monsanto. In the world of social media, discussion of the topic is often very heated, perhaps as much as the topics of creationism, global climate change denialism or even misogyny and race. Anastasia Bodnar, PhD, is a genetic scientist who has studied the issue of genetic engineering and has been very active in promoting education through the internet regarding the topic. She has encountered the rancorous discussion on many occasions and will be our guest to talk with Mike Haubrich about the science as well as the social aspects.
Related Links:
- Anastasia Bodnar's About Me page
- The Tricky Terrain For GMO Communication on Discover Blogs
- GMO LOL Facebook Page
- "The GMO Controversy" by Steven Novella
- "Another Environmentalist Apologizes Over GMOs"
- Mark Lynas Lecture to Oxford Farming Community
- Tomorrow's Table, Dr. Pamela Ronald's Blog on GMO and Organic coexistence
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