GMOs- Can they really help the future, or propel us further back than the present?
Illustration by Heidi Wong

“Any politician or scientist who tells you these products are safe is either very stupid or lying” — David Suzuki

David Suzuki is an environmental activist, rocking 83 years, who had earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961. Being a science broadcaster, he ridiculed the world’s government for not calling the shots to stop Global warming and many other problems. After some time, he declared the world was naturally stupid and started his own organization which was to take his name.

You know people mean business when they put their own name for a whole organization. That’s the big stuff.

He continued his journey working as the head of one of the biggest Genetic labs in Canada, fiddling with the world's coding which makes us exist, the whole shebang.

Until doomsday happened.

David Suzuki, the man of science, turned his back on changing the world forever. Imagine how the conversation would’ve gone:

“Boy!”

“Yes sir?”

“BOY!”

“Yes, sir I’m right here-”

“BOYYYY!”

“Sir what is it?”

“Ah, there you are! So, uh, Imma head out after years and years of research and effort put into this. Good luck without a lead scientist, Byeeeeeeeeeee!”

Okay, fair enough. It wasn’t entirely out of a sudden.

The main reason Mr.Suzuki abandoned his work and studies in the early 1980s was that he believed the outcomes were too risky to even try. The dangers outweighed the benefits.

He was convinced it would ruin the world.

But then, why do we still use it?

It helps the future.

Illustration by Kurzgesagt- In a nutshell

GMOs are a simpler way of saying “Genetically Modified Organisms”. It has a very important part in the title of Biotechnology. It is one form of artificial selection, where humans meddle with the internal DNA of species to create new “better” versions of them. Better to survive, adapt, and serve purposes more effectively.

To explain it in simpler words:

If you were put into a scenario where you had the option to change everything about you for the better; increase height, strength, brainpower, how would you react?

Would you say yes, or no?

This is the dilemma with Genetic engineering.

Just… on a relatively bigger issue than your looks and grades in school: Food.

Genetic engineering, although practiced for years, is still a relatively new concept. In fact for the foreseeable future, it might just be a solution to help farmers around the world in the long run.

As no scientists are ready to turn humans into creatures with twenty limbs with webbed skin to fly and gills to breathe underwater that can survive even outer space. All that sci-fi you’ve read from time to time is still a very very very far fantasy.

So, we stick to the simple things.

In 1994, tomatoes were the first fruit to be genetically modified to have a longer shelf life, having better resistance to an enzyme which is responsible for rotting. Tomatoes started living longer, got to marry, have kids, and enjoy life until plucked from their plants.

This discovery of increasing yield might not have a fancy scientist name behind it, or be the newest Newton law, but it had opened up many opportunities for all kinds of services and countries around the world.

Information by Backyard Farmers

In the USA, 50% of the Soyabean crop and 30% of the maize harvest consists of genetically modified plants that are resistant to herbicides and insect pests, reducing the need for chemicals that improve our health, and reducing the cost which was previously used for those chemicals.

If I had the choice of choosing fresher fruit in a salad naturally than chemicals injected in them which could go full war on me, I would be inclined to choose the GMO.

Sadly, biology as a whole is weird.

It might seem ‘safer’ to avoid all man-made fertilizers and rely only on food makeovers, but maybe those foods might make other foods jealous and could create really annoying products we really don't need in our lives. Like superweeds. They’ll just KO all the other plants in your garden now leveling up.

This is also another reason why we can’t “poof” all our food to make them better. We can only practice our mixing talents in specific processes and plants to eradicate as many possibilities of superweeds taking over the world. That would be a new low for earth after 2020.

However, GMOs can still help us. Another country leading with their crop army is Brazil. Their GMOs fields take over almost 26 percent all over the world, just trailing behind the states. Being the largest exporter of soybean and second-largest of corn, Brazil keeps using its biotech crops for produce.

Apparently, according to ISAAA (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications) reports from the past twenty years, Brazilians see GMOs as tech which can rid all pests and increase production.

Believe it or not, this helped modernize Brazil to its current economy. As long as it did take, farmers were now able to develop their secondary industries after having a byline cheat code for their nutrients. Which country will rise higher to fame next?

illustration by Camtec Electrical Services

If we refer to the table of advantages and disadvantages above, it seems like GMOs are a double-edged sword. It might remove diseases, but start new ones.

It’s kind of like taking one step ahead, but risk getting twice as behind.

We have countries like the USA and Brazil using science to its most useable potential, and some actively branding their food with a shiny gold sticker saying “No GMO crops were used in the making of this”, as if it were an achievement instead of showing their embarrassment of not doing the same.

If the whole world can’t come to a decision of whether GMO crops are on Santa's good or bad list, where do we go from here?

It’s up to us to decide. Take a break from your work, sit down, and search the net for more information on what could possibly be the savior or death of humanity. Get your parents or kids with you, cuddle up in the living room, and watch some TED talks from experts in this.

Learn about the problems and benefits of genetically modified organisms.

Educate yourself more.

Our crew of writers has barely scraped the surface of this whole controversy. There are millions and millions of articles that give in-depth research and data for you to read about. Reports, case studies, interviews, you name it.

As GMOs, whether you like them or not, are as relevant as elections taking place for a new president, or the mysterious death of a famous actor.

Aren’t you curious if David Suzuki actually became a menace to science after all his contribution previously, or was correct? Or if countries are taking the effort to follow science for the betterment of the future, or the wrong idea all along?

And most importantly, the main question we all have today, does everyone like a happy tomato in a sandwich than a sad one?

Or not?
['Backyard Farmers']
['GMO', 'Biotechnology', 'Biotech', 'Genetics', 'Agriculture Technology']