Essay on Scientific and technological advances

The last century was characterized by outstanding achievements in scientific and technological advances that have radically changed the life of man. This is especially nuclear technology, electronics and the up-to-date biotechnology. Current rates of development of biotechnology and its prospects, at least comparable to the computerization and automation of our life, greatly influence on the imagination of modern man. Today, not only scientists and professionals understand that even the existence of man in this century depends on the achievements of modern biotechnology. The population of the Earth, which in 2000 was 6 billions, is projected to reach 8,5 billions to 2025. The growth of population will pose new challenges in the field of food and medical care. It will not be enough to solve these problems traditionally.
Currently, biotechnology practice shows great progress in agriculture. It is a nurture of new varieties of plants, steady to herbicides, insects, illnesses, and stress influences. It is the creation of new food products with desired properties, production of food and feed protein, medicines, waste-free technologies and recycling of substances harmful to the environment; breeding of highly productive animals and microorganisms with new and enhanced properties and characteristics. Even a very vivid imagination can not anticipate all possibilities, which will be realized by a person using biotechnology.
It is difficult to disagree with the fact that Genetically Modified (GM) foods are among the most discussed and condemned phenomena in modern society. It is significant that in the mass consciousness GM products are associated only with negative implications. However, this phenomenon is ambiguous and needs further researches and explanations. Thus, in this research assignment I would like to discuss Genetic Modification of Foods and pay specific attention on its positive and negative aspects.
First of all it is necessary to define the meaning of the term “Genetic Modification” and also define other terms connected with this topic in the frames of biotechnology. It is well-known fact that the most important component of modern biotechnology is genetic, or genetic, engineering.
Genetic engineering – is the science of genetic construction aimed at the creating of new forms of biologically active DNA and genetically new forms of cells and whole organisms by artificial methods of transferring genes (recombinant DNA technology, genetic transformation, hybridization of cells).
Genetically modified organism (GMO) – is an organism or a few organisms, any non-cellular, unicellular or multicellular formation capable of reproduction or transmission of the hereditary genetic material. They are different from natural organisms and have been obtained using genetic engineering techniques and contain genetically engineered material, including genes, fragments or combinations of genes.
To create a genetically modified organism were developed special techniques that enable cutting necessary fragments of the DNA, and then modify them accordingly to reconstruct a single unit and clone – multiply in large numbers of copies. Donors can be bacteria, viruses, plants, animals and even people. Organisms subjected to genetic transformation are called transgenic. Transgenic organisms – are animals, plants, microorganisms, viruses, whose genetic program is changed with the use of genetic engineering techniques. Genetically Modified sources (GMS) – are raw materials and food products (components) that are used by man in natural or converted form derived from GMOs or contain them in their composition.
For the best understanding of the term genetic modification and its mechanisms of work I want to quote Whitman (2000) who said that “the term GM foods or GMOs is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate.”
Thinking about historical aspect of GMO creation it is necessary to mention that genetically modified organisms became a reality in the late 70’s, when appeared the first bacterium with alien genes, insulin, interferon, somatotropic hormone. The use of GMOs began with solution of reduction in price problems and increasing of the protein products groundwork that are necessary for human treatment. In the past were made significant fundamental discoveries and implemented in practice very bold scientific ideas thanks to genetic engineering. The spectrum of GMOs use is extremely broad: to provide human food resources, biodiversity conservation, treatment of diseases, improving the quality of the product characteristics, correction of environmental pollution, etc.
Without a doubt, XXI century will be the era of genetically modified organisms, as evidenced by the rapid development of the world’s food production based on them.
According to McHughen (2000) we know that, for example, in 2003 about 7 million farmers from 18 countries of the world on 67,7 million hectares (15% of all areas, suitable for agriculture) grew genetically modified plants. Presently specialists name a number over 85 million hectares used for similar aims. The largest areas are occupied for transgenic cultures in the USA, Argentina and Canada.