Science Controversies
China and US can use biotechnology to end ‘scourge of global hunger’
"Biotechnology has been extensively researched and safely used for three decades," writes Michael Scuse, Under secretary for Farm and Foreign ...
‘Big Island’ on Hawaii passes bill banning GMOs, exempts GM papayas
By a 6-3 vote, the the Hawaii County Council passed Bill 113 on November 19 that prohibits all new genetically ...
Activists block solution to GM cross-pollination (don’t call it ‘contamination’) fears
Cross pollination between fields of crops, whether genetically modified or organic, cannot be avoided. Whose responsibility is it to keep ...
Breakthrough GM phtoreceptor technology could help food crops thrive in crowded fields
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are working on genetically modifying plant photoreceptors to allow crops to grow in tightly ...
Food economist challenges pop anti-GMO activist Robyn O’Brian for fanning allergy scares in TED talk
Jayson Lusk, food and agriculture economist, critiques a TEDx talk by popular anti-GMO activist and author Robyn O'Brian in which ...
Pro-GMO groups in Hawaii accused of conflicts of interest
Seemingly independent scientists in Hawaii who support GMOs may have undisclosed ties to agriculture companies ...
Aversion to GMOs in wealthy nations influences views in poor nations
(Summary) The debate over genetically modified organisms in America and Europe affects the views of biotechnology in Africa. Robert Paalberg, ...
The origins of Oregon’s GM wheat remain a mystery
It’s still unclear how genetically modified wheat ended up in Oregon last spring, and industry members aren’t sure when the ...
China rejects unapproved GM corn from US
China rejected a cargo of U.S. corn because it contained a genetically modified variety that is not approved for import, ...
Government should not be involved in GMO labeling
Government bureaucracy gets in the way of what could be a successful voluntary labeling movement led by agriculture companies ...
EU must change policies regarding GMOs or face ‘scientific, economic and social consequences’
(Summary) The European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) has warned that European countries must change their policies regarding genetically modified ...
Hawaii farmers, ranchers: ‘We are under attack from a vocal minority’
Farmers, ranchers and floral and nursery growers have written a letter to the Hawaii County Council, urging them to vote ...
Activist group in Ghana calls for non-GM solutions for food security issues
The Civil Society Network in Ghana, a group of non-governmental bodies, says government should address the wider causes of food ...
GMO plants could be ‘green factories’ for vital omega-3 fish oils
Scientists at the UK's Rothamsted Research have developed a variety of Camelina sativa (flax) that produces Omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid ...
New Hampshire lawmakers aren’t buying anti-GMO scare tactics
(Summary) Grace Boatright, legislative director of the National Grange, a non-profit organization that advocates for rural agriculture, praises New Hampshire ...
Steve Savage: USDA should deregulate Arctic Apples
(Summary) Steve Savage, agriculture scientist specializing in plant pathology, recently came out in support of the deregulation of the genetically ...
Will the FDA’s proposed ban on trans fats open the door for a new generation of ‘healthy’ GM soybeans?
Agriculture companies have developed a soybean that produces oils low in unhealthy transfats, but will restaurants and food manufacturers accept ...
Indonesia: Agriculture Minister calls for acceptance of GMOs
Indonesia must adopt genetically modified crops if the world’s fourth-most-populous nation wants to achieve self-sufficiency in food staples like corn, ...
DNA testing Q&A with Duke professor
Misha Angrist is an assistant professor at Duke who specializes in personal genomics. He deals with questions such as what ...
Drug trial, dubbed ‘Master Protocol,’ uses tumor genomics to customize treatments
According to a new article, the future of cancer drug research may lie in drug trials that are based on ...
Ukraine farmers demand fewer restrictions on GM crops
(Summary) Farmers in the Ukraine are fighting back against government proposals to ban genetically modified organisms, Agrimoney reports. Despite heavy restrictions ...
Israeli biotech company promises high yield crops without genetic modification
Kaiima Bio-Agritech, a Galilee-based enterprise that aims to boost global crop yields without the aid of genetic modification, says it ...
Kaua’i goes rogue, anti-GMO bill passed over mayor’s veto, contentious legal fight imminent
Kaua'i appears headed for an ugly legal battle as political maneuvering by anti-GMO forces led to the selection of a ...
Chinese state media kick into high gear to ease GMO food fears
China's state media are working overtime to persuade the public that genetically modified food is safe, apparently softening up the ...
Head of UK Rothamsted–‘oldest agriculture science center in the world’–urges more GMO field trials
(Summary) Maurice Moloney, head of UK's Rothamsted Research, the "oldest agriculture science center in the world," speaks to Nature News about his ...
Oregon gears up for GMO labeling fight
Opponents of a ballot initiative to label genetically engineered food in Oregon have gone to court with their objections to ...
Call for single, centralized body to regulate GMOs across Africa
(Summary) "Africa needs a centralized body to help it overcome the lack of scientific capacity," says a study in the ...
