Insulin, used by millions of people worldwide, is a hormone produced by genetic combination from E. Coli bacteria. It is also produced in a similar way of creating GMOs. GMOs, genetically modified organisms, have received a spotlight as a miracle gift to the future. Food shortages, health problems and environmental pollution exponentially increase nowadays. Although GMO foods contain the possibility of health concerns caused when people consume GMO continually, GMOs are an apparatus to solve problems. GMOs produce abundant amounts of agricultural food, improves people’s health lives, and facilitates the industries and energy production. How do GMOs benefit our society?
GMOs are known to promote the production of agricultural food in terms of crop yields which significantly improves the environmental cycle of humans. If food production increases, the increase could solve the problem of food shortages and develop agriculture and the environment. Also, to grow the food production, GMO products contain a DNA of resistance to pest or herbicides. Some researchers worry that this resistance of herbicides will even increase the use of herbicides, furthermore contributing to the global crisis of environmental pollution. However, the use of GMOs with this newfound resistance of pests (harmful insects) also decreases the use of pesticides, strengthening the health of the environment. Additionally, scientists have developed the GMO products by maximizing one’s particular advantages such as plants with enhanced ability to absorb carbon dioxide and purifying heavy metals as well as microorganisms with improved ability to reduce oil particles. Furthermore, the resistance of herbicide reduces weed more conveniently, which can save labor costs and the estimation of the lands to use for agriculture, meaning this increased production of food solves the problems of food shortages and provokes the development of agriculture.
As scientists found the way of extracting Insulin from Coliform to treat Diabetes, GMO contains certain health benefits and provides more insight into the medical field regarding the future of biotechnology and DNA. For keeping and improving a healthy lifestyle, there are GMO foods such as an apple containing more vital nutrients and minerals likeVitamin C, broccoli with more Vitamin K, and anchovy containing more Calcium. People can fulfill their needs of specific nutrition via multiplied nutrition of the original products. Also For patients, GMOs are a critical element as they can treat more various diseases and patients with practical and effective ways. For example, the Genetic Literacy Project has emphasized in the future of GMO that the Applied Biotechnology Institute (ABI) has developed a fascinating method to incorporate the antigens for hepatitis B (not the virus itself, just some of the protein antigens that induce an immunological response) by inserting the genes for these proteins into the corn. GMO antigens for hepatitis B have a great prospect of future medicine as more than 600,000 people worldwide die from hepatitis B-related liver disease. Moreover, Oxitec mosquitoes, genetically modified versions of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, help prevent mosquito-borne diseases. The Oxitec GM mosquitoes produce the protein tTA that has an unfavorable effect on their cell development. The Oxitec mosquitoes were a feasible solution to the Zika virus outbreak.
As GMO shows the limitless possibility of an ever growing medical field, It also portrays the significant growth in the industry for energy production. For example, People use petrochemical products for energy, however, the petrochemical products tend to cause air, water, and soil pollution. From this, researchers have recommended replacing petrochemistry products with materials from GMO products. In order to reduce the use of petroleum to produce plastics, Genomatica company has produced and synthesized butanediol by utilizing GMO Coliform in plants' sugar as well as utilizing the soy ink for the purpose of reducing harmful substances. While the GMO plants have contributed to society, the growth of GMO industries often leads to a problem of a monopoly. However, cooperating with seed vaults such as Svalbard Global Seed Vault, and improved GMO and Biotechnology industry would decrease the concerns of monopoly and develop Biotechnology's study.
GMO is a controversial topic regarding the future, hHowever, GMOs can sweep the concerns and illuminate the future brightly. These genetically modified organisms can produce agricultural foods that benefit the ecosystem and economy, improves health as a full-nutritional food and treatment (medicine) for certain diseases, and grows the industries with energy productions. It is only now up to the future at hand to decide the new chapter of GMO
Bibliography
“Five Things Monsanto Doesn't Want You to Know About GMOs.” Food & Water Watch, 23 May 2018, www.foodandwaterwatch.org/news/five-things-monsanto-doesnt-want-you-know-about-gmos.
“GMOs and the Environment.” x9602e07, www.fao.org/3/x9602e/x9602e07.htm.
Hepatitis B Vaccine Produced Cheaply and Efficiently Using GMO Corn. 12 Jan. 2018, geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/11/24/hepatitis-b-vaccine-produced-cheaply-and-efficiently-using-gmo-corn/.
Kelly ServickSep. 17, 2019. “Study on DNA Spread by Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Prompts Backlash.” News Flash, 17 Sept. 2019, newsflash.one/2019/09/17/study-on-dna-spread-by-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-prompts-backlash/.
“Svalbard Global Seed Vault.” Crop Trust, 1 Jan. 1970, www.croptrust.org/our-work/svalbard-global-seed-vault/.
박재용. “GMO 꼭 필요한가? 정말 유해한가?” 뉴스톱, 27 June 2019, www.newstof.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1707.
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