Negatives Of Gmos

Everything on this planet contains a complex and fascinating molecule called deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. This substance is the building block of all forms of life, coding for each component that comprises an organism. With the advent of modern technology and convoluted laboratory practices, DNA can be modified and manipulated to enhance an organism with new traits that were not present before. These recombinant species are known as GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, and they are a particularly hot topic in the agricultural sector. Although citizens in both the laboratory and public setting argue that GMOs have a negative and unpredictable effect on the environment and are dangerous to humans, there are several benefits of using these organisms. Thus, GMOs are crucial to sustaining today’s society because they maximize crop yield, reduce the negative environmental effects of …show more content…
One of the reason GMOs are so highly preferred by farmers is because of the maximized amount of harvest they produce. Unlike traditional corn, cotton, soybean, and other plant seeds farmers have been planting for thousands of years, GM (genetically modified) crops can be specifically made to withstand extreme weather conditions. With the insertion of isolated genetic material from either the same crop or other organisms, these crops are more hardy and able to brave natural elements such as drought and freezes. Furthermore, crops can also be implanted with genes that ward off insects and other types of prey. In an article about genetically modified crops, one author writes, “Cotton and corn have been modified to incorporate Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes, producing proteins that are toxic only to larval pests. Crops can also be modified to ward off plant viruses or fungi” (Qaim par. 4). By harnessing such revolutionary