The Genetics Revolution

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web resources
Monsanto Agriculture
Press releases and news from the company on its biotech program

The AgBio Forum
A quarterly online magazine on the management of agricultural biotechnology

International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Italian institute promoting the safe use of biotechnology world-wide


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		POLL Genetically Modified Foods: Are You Afraid of Eating Them?

		newsfile subjects Research The latest discoveries and the Human Genome Project Cloning Dolly was just the first. How long until humans follow? Plant & Animal Applications Why the farm will never be the same Human Applications Designer babies, maybe. But also designer treatments for your specific ailments Ethics What to do with our newfound knowledge Business The worth of the gene Timeline From discovery of the double helix to deciphering the human genome

A genetically engineered tomato on the vine

The Killer Tomatoes
Somewhere, someone is crossing a fish with a tomato. Researchers are inserting an antifreeze gene from the winter flounder to produce a cold-resistant love apple, one that American consumers seem indifferent to but has Europeans taking to the streets to keep off their shelves.

These are the front lines of the genetics revolution, the practical applications of the truly amazing discoveries of the past two decades. Here are miracles and wonders that could help feed an ever-more crowded world: extra-starch potatoes, coffee beans grown decaf right on the vine, low-sugar strawberries. Wonder Bread-quality wheat courtesy a plant with extra gluten built right in. Super high-protein grains that could be a boon to the developing world. And cotton and potatoes with herbicide-producing genes that could eliminate the need for toxic sprays.

Here are dragons: Activists worry that plants with an innate herbicide might breed a new generation of resistant "super insects." Or that man-made seeds might cross-pollinate with other plant species, with unknown and potentially devastating results. Already, early studies show Monsanto's highly popular Bt corn could prove devastating to Monarch butterflies.

Then there's the matter of intellectual property. To protect its billion-dollar investment, Monsanto hopes to introduce an elegantly malevolent technology, called "Terminator," that is a set of genetic instructions that render a seed sterile after just one planting -- thus enforcing the company's copyright.

From a biotech standpoint, this is a marvel, what one scientist has called "the most intricate application of genetic engineering to date." From a human standpoint, it's a potential time bomb. The UN has already expressed concern that Terminator seeds could force farmers into total dependence on seed companies. Others are worried about possible cross-pollination that could render other plants sterile. Meanwhile, the U.S. Army War College is reportedly intrigued about the possibilities of technologies that could tell plants to commit suicide on demand. Which means the only certain thing is that there's a crop dustup in our future.

from TIME

Will Frankenfood Feed The World?
Genetically modified food has met fierce opposition among well-fed Europeans, but it's the poor and the hungry who need it most
JUNE 19, 2000

Make Way for Frankenfish!
What Happens To These Ordinary Salmon If The Genetically Modified Lunkers Ever Get Loose?
MARCH 6, 2000

Who's Afraid of Frankenfood?
So far, mostly just Europeans. But thanks to a little uncertainty and a lot of agitprop, that's changing
NOVEMBER 29, 1999

Of Corn and Butterflies
U.S. farmers are planting 20 million acres of bioengineered corn. Will it poison the monarchs?
MAY 31, 1999

The Suicide Seeds
Terminator genes could mean big biotech bucks--but big trouble too, as a grass-roots protest breaks out on the Net
JANUARY 19, 1999

Brave New Farm
Fears of "Frankenstein" food run deep, especially in Europe
JANUARY 11, 1999

PHOTO: GERRY GROPP/SIPA