Neil Degrasse Tyson On Gmos

[camberiu]

It applies to the ones you find in Argentina too.

http://youtu.be/1ecT2CaL7NA

 

[zingara]

No matter how much he tries he is not Carl Sagan!
Regarding the controversy on GMO food:

http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Transgenic Crops and Recombinant DNA Technology




By: Theresa Phillips, Ph.D. (Write Science Right) © 2008 Nature Education



Citation: Phillips, T. (2008) Genetically modified organisms (GMOs): Transgenic crops and recombinant DNA technology. Nature Education 1(1):213
http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732

 

[polostar88]

Tyson is not a practicing scientist, just a popularizer, and like many defenders of GMO, he is very misleading. There is a big difference between traditional cross-breeding techniques and what goes on in Mosanto (a chemical company) labs that produce GMO crops. He is also wrong about supposed "fear at all new technologies," an assertion for which he presents no evidence. Almost no one fears laptops or the internet for example.

His argument in general is disingenuous, as anyone who has lived in and outside the USA knows. In the USA all the "sweet, juicy" crops he talks about are actually plastic and tasteless, and I'd also call the pork and beef you can generally get in the US also tasteless. Someone who has tasted traditionally grown organic foods in Argentina or Europe knows the difference by taste alone. In the USA it's very difficult to find, for example, onions or tomatoes with a strong onion or tomato flavor even at Whole Foods (you have to go to small organic farmers' markets). It's next to impossible to taste genuine pork in the USA. So his argument about taste is baseless. The distinction isn't between "wild" varieties and GMO's but between traditionally grown crops on one hand, and industrially-grown crops on the other, of which GMO are the latest and most dangerous variety.

Be sure that all these advocates of GMO crops don't eat them themselves, but buy organic for their families.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

I was raised on a farm. We slaughtered all of our own cows, pigs, and chickens and either raised or traded for vegetables and fruits. Most of the food in the supermarket tastes like cardboard. I visited my extended family in June (all on private farms) and realized I had forgotten what real food tasted like.

 

[citygirl]

I don't disagree. My OH and I were just having this discussion on our last trip to the US. All the food was so pretty to look at in the supermarkets but by and large the meat, fruits and veggies were really lacking in taste. My kiddos wouldn't even eat the stuff they normally love like strawberries and apples and steak.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

People are quite literally dying in the countryside as a result of excessive and uncontrolled use of persticides facilitated by GM crop resistance. That may sound emotive, but it is a reality.

The science of artificially developing vegetables doesn't really bother me as much as the widespread introduction of dangerous carcinogenic and toxic chemicals into the food chain. I believe this has the potential to be the next tobacco in terms of it's effect on public health.

The soil suffers also as GM facilitates double yields and less crop rotation.

It's startling easy to have organic vegetables delivered and at a cost which I have found not to be restrictive. I'd encourage anyone not interested in chowing down on chemicals from the same company that brought you the delights of Agent Orange to think about it.

 

[polostar88]

I don't disagree. My OH and I were just having this discussion on our last trip to the US. All the food was so pretty to look at in the supermarkets but by and large the meat, fruits and veggies were really lacking in taste. My kiddos wouldn't even eat the stuff they normally love like strawberries and apples and steak.

Your children's sense of taste may have a secret knowledge of its own. I know people with serious gastro-intestinal and other inflammatory problems who become miraculously healed after they're a few days outside the USA. Nearly everything in the US environment is toxic.

 

[camberiu]

The latest paper on this topic (by UC, Davis):


Study of 100 billion animals fed GM and regular crops shows no effect of GM crops on animal health.

 

[ghost]

Nearly everything in the US environment is toxic.

That is one of the stupidest blanket comments I have yet to hear on this forum. "everything" derrrrr? You may be shocked to learn that there is currently more "organic" production going on in the US than any country on earth. It has become an enormous market.