Science Controversies
Neonicotinoid seed treatments ‘best option’ for soil pests, but should be used judiciously, study says
The topic of neonicotinoid seed treatments (NSTs) continues to keep researchers searching for answers. A study from the University of ...
CRISPR gene-editing technology expected to accelerate crop development
Genetically modified crops are continuing to spread across the world’s agricultural land. Last year they covered a record 185m hectares, ...
Anti-GMO group March Against Monsanto promotes, profits from anti-vaccine ads
Visit the March Against Monsanto website and you'll see a strange ad peppering the pages, among the usual dubious stories about ...
Fighting poverty with GMOs: Filipino farmers turn to insect-resistant Bt corn to boost yields, income
Agricultural choices don't just affect food availability. They also have significant economic and social ramifications. A case in point is the ...
Could humans learn to love sex robots?
Kate Devlin says she does, occasionally, get a little weary of being pigeonholed as “that sex robot woman.” … “There’s ...
Should organic farming embrace new plant breeding techniques like CRISPR?
Over the last few years, new tools have rapidly created possibilities in plant breeding. These New Plant Breeding Techniques (NPBTs) ...
DIY gene therapy? FDA is not a fan
A few biohackers (fans of do-it-yourself (DIY) science experiments) recently designed a gene therapy for HIV. Not only that, they posted a video ...
Viewpoint: Food Evolution movie shows GMO supporters ‘you’re not alone’
If you have the opportunity to see the documentary “Food Evolution,” do it. It has been the most talked-about food and agriculture ...
Economist: EU’s GMO crop ban likely led to lower corn, soybean yields in Europe compared to US
Is it true that a ban on GM crops in the European Union has hurt productivity? Most likely yes, retired ...
Era of unregulated stem cell therapies may be coming to an end
Is the Wild West of stem cell therapies coming to an end? Newly released guidelines from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggest ...
Exorbitant costs of gene therapy raise payment concerns for patients and government
[Editor's note: Executives from several companies developing gene therapies gathered for a panel discussion at the recent Forbes Healthcare Summit, ...
Climate change fighting plants: Genetically modified crops could trap half of human CO2 emissions in soil
The Salk Institute has enlisted a new ally in the effort to address the anticipated dangers of climate change — plants. Scientists ...
French farmers: 3 years too short to develop viable replacement for glyphosate herbicide
President Emmanuel Macron’s promise to rid France of controversial weedkiller glyphosate within three years has left some farmers in the ...
What can other African countries learn from South Africa’s experience with GMO crops?
Despite promotion of GM crops, adoption has been slow across the continent. South Africa began using the technology in the ...
Genomics AI tool: Google’s DeepVariant released as open source
A novel artificial intelligence tool that can accurately call out variants in sequencing data was released as open source on the ...
Judge dismisses lawsuit against Dannon alleging consumers misled by ‘all-natural’ dairy products from cows fed GMOs
A judge has granted Dannon’s motion to dismiss a high-profile false advertising lawsuit alleging shoppers were misled by its ‘all-natural’ ...
Viewpoint: 12 ways organic activists mislead consumers
Does the organic food industry use deceptive marketing practices to scare wealthy customers away from conventional agriculture and GMOs? The ...
Vitamin-enhanced GMO potatoes could combat malnutrition—if they ever hit the market
Sufferers of malnutrition in the global south could soon find help from an unlikely source: a humble potato, genetically tweaked ...
Genetic engineering, synthetic biology poised to boost photosynthesis and carbon capture
In a feature article published in the open access journal eLife, an international team of experts led by Dr Bonnie Wintle ...
Podcast: Who should have access to gene-editing tools?
Scientists and researchers from major labs are putting their minds and grant dollars into gene editing tools like CRISPR, which ...
Viewpoint: Why it’s time to start talking about a glyphosate herbicide replacement
Don’t get me wrong. I fully recognise the current need for Irish tillage and grassland farmers to use the herbicide ...
‘Semi-synthetic’ organism expands DNA base alphabet
Every living thing on Earth stores the instructions for life as DNA, using the four genetic bases A, G, C, ...
Drought-resistant plant genes could lead to crops that need less water
Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have identified a common set of genes that enable different ...
Plant genetics pioneer Joanne Chory wins $3 million Breakthrough Prize
Salk Institute scientist Joanne Chory, one of the world’s preeminent plant biologists who is now leading the charge to combat global ...
Activist groups plan to sue Germany, EU over glyphosate herbicide re-approval
Environmentalist groups said on Monday [Dec. 4] that Germany and the European Union had broken the rules when assessing the ...
Talking Biotech: How will agricultural-biotech seed company mergers impact farmers and sustainability?
French researcher Sylvie Bonny: Some worry that corporate consolidation will raise seed prices and hurt farmers, while others believe mergers ...
Salmon may soon be fed GMO canola high in omega-3 fatty acids
The omega-3 canola oil, which is extracted from rape plants that have been genetically modified to produce the key fatty ...
