A banana that can deliver a safe, effective and
inexpensive vaccine for hepatitis B? Crops that can fight
off insects and diseases with little or no use of
pesticides, while actually replenishing the soil and
preventing erosion? "Golden" rice that can provide infants
in developing countries with added beta-carotene to fight
the scourge of blindness? No, this is not something out of
a science fiction novel, or the stuff of idle dreams. In
fact, this is the very real world of biotechnology, one of
the most revolutionary and beneficial scientific advances
of the last generation.
For many of us, the name biotechnology might at first
seem intimidating. But if you look more closely, it is
easy to see what biotechnology is, what it is doing, and
what it can do to protect our environment, to help feed
our expanding world population, and to foster the
treatment and prevention of a wide array of diseases. Just
think for a moment about what gives each and every flower
its special color and form, the source of its beauty, or
what allows a corn stalk to grow tall and strong, or what
brings out that unique flavor of your favorite fruit.
Every living thing, from the most simple to the most
sophisticated, carries a genetic code, or "blueprint,"
that determines precisely what traits it will have.
In much the same way, biotechnology is a precise
science that enables us to find the most beneficial
traits, in terms of added nutrition, increased flavor, or
greater ability to fight pests or diseases, and
incorporate them into various organisms. Biotechnology is
able to isolate a particular gene (or trait) in one
organism, remove it, and then transfer it to another
organism, where this same gene replicates itself, creating
a stronger and more resilient strain of the same
substance. Mankind has been doing this for millennia,
harking back to the ancient Egyptian and early Native
American civilizations. On one level, this process is not
unlike adding a new ingredient to a recipe, or a new color
or shade to a painting. The only real difference, at the
end of the day, is in the result.
With biotechnology we are providing real answers to
some of the greatest challenges we face at the dawn of a
new century, such as hunger and malnutrition, as well as
more effective ways to prevent diseases and treat serious
illnesses. Biotechnology is an accessible and exciting new
development, which is already improving the way we live.
Source and more info at:
www.whybiotech.com |
