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OdiousOutlaw wrote

I think the fact that it can be done is both fascinating and horrifying. And that's only if we're talking about growing food, a practice that has its own set of consequences.

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toohere wrote

In a profit driven system, this technology has the potential to cause severe ecological damage if implemented for production (chemicals, fuel, pharmaceuticals), but so does technology like agriculture and roads. But even though the potential impacts are not fully understood, campanies will try to sell you on genetically modifying all of nature if they thought they could profit. I do think it is technically possible to use this tech responsibly if enough research is done before implementing a GMO based production operation, but I do not think it is likely as things stand.

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6c_6f_76_65 wrote

This is pretty open ended. But I'll take a stab...

If we could edit DNA and load it like an OS I would love it. Splice in fish DNA and I wait a while for gills to grow in then go swim anywhere for however long. Reload my original DNA and all would be lovely.

Back to reality I think it is a shit show. If DNA editing really takes off only the super rich will benefit. People will use it for vanity reasons. And can you imagine the future healthcare nightmare 20-40 years after an edit and one day replication completely breaks. You have a cancer that is unlike anyone else and there is no cure or treatment.

We are still years ago from figuring out the brain and how gut flora affects our life. I don't trust gene editing.

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dorcass wrote

Humans have been genetically modifying organisms since the dawn of our species. Every single crop we maintain exists because it was painstakingly bred into existence by generations of indigenous farmers. Modern technology just makes this more efficient. Genetically modified crops have saved millions upon millions of people from starvation. The only bad aspects of "GMOs" arise when corporations involve themselves in genetic modification with the goal of profit maximization. Corporations like Monsanto, that force farmers to be dependent on buying seed that grows into sterile fruit year after year, crippling their autonomy and forcing them to keep coming back for more. Like all technology, it is neither good nor evil - it is simply a tool that can be used or abused.

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ziq wrote (edited )

Humans have been genetically modifying organisms since the dawn of our species.

I don't see how cross pollination of related plant species resulting in natural hybrids is the same as splicing in e.g. animal genes into plants in a lab.

Indigenous farmers saving the seeds from the tastiest fruit to plant next season has nothing to do with genetic engineering.

Genetically modified crops have saved millions upon millions of people from starvation. 

That's really not true. You're probably quoting the empty promises of industry-shills about Golden Rice; which was actually a total failure.

https://gmwatch.org/en/news/latest-news/16043-golden-rice-is-it-vaporware

There's no evidence GM crops have saved anyone from starvation, letalone millions.

In reality, not only have GM yields dropped, but they've also created vitamin deficiencies:

https://www.independentsciencenews.org/commentaries/roundup-ready-2-soybeans/

Not only is 95% of the soybean crop of the United States currently yielding 7-11% less than it should, Roundup Ready soybeans can contain less than 40% of the Mn contained in isogenic lines (Gordon, 2007). 

https://www.ewg.org/agmag/2015/03/claims-gmo-yield-increases-don-t-hold

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MHC wrote

I knew a mollecular biologist. He said that his field was difficult!

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