genetic engineering
‘Synthetic biology doesn’t have to be scary’: It could offer us new medicines, biofuels and everything in between
Though hacking organisms and rearranging genomes may sound scary, there is definitely a Light Side to this narrative (a balance, ...
Fat from gene-edited plants could make infant formula more nutritious, less expensive
A team from the Rothamsted Research center, UK, has developed plants capable of mass-producing fat molecules resembling those in human ...
Podcast: Where did GMOs come from? The fascinating history of genetic engineering
Forget the headlines about ‘Frankenfoods’ - there's a much richer and more nuanced story to be told about the history ...
Podcast: This GMO probiotic helps prevent hangovers—can it ease consumer fear of biotechnology?
There's nothing quite like a hangover. After a few too many drinks and a night of restless sleep, you wake ...
Viewpoint: Crop biotech industry’s ‘poor communication’ fueled explosion of Non-GMO Project labels
Today in North America, the Non-GMO Project Verified logo is on over 50,000 food products that bring in more than ...
‘Don’t try this at home’: New California law targets biohacking, do-it-yourself CRISPR
California wants to make it clear that tinkering with your own genes is a “don’t try this at home” sort ...
‘GMOs are banned in Europe’ and 3 other popular biotech crop myths busted
“What do you wish people knew about GMOs that would completely surprise them?" ...
‘Synthetic signalling networks’ between GMO plants, bacteria could boost crop yields
The root microbiota is critical for agricultural yield, with growth-promoting bacteria able to solubilize phosphate, produce plant growth hormones, antagonize ...
Viewpoint: Genetically modified plants could produce drugs of the future—if we do more to encourage ‘pharming’
Politicians talk a lot about farming but seldom about “pharming,” even though the latter can also have a big impact ...
Dessert of the future? This $20 a pint ice cream made with GMO yeast sells out in hours
Agri-tech start-up Perfect Day released a line of real ice cream made with lab-grown dairy that costs $20 a pint ...
African farmers look to genetic engineering in fight against plant diseases and pests
The benefits of genetic engineering will not come to fruition in Africa if the opponents of the technology continue to ...
The promise of genetic engineering in medicine could be threatened by ‘bad press’
Because the disorder is caused by a single mutation in a single gene, sickle cell disease has long been seen ...
A tricky study about links between GMO rejectionism and education, and evidence the biotech debate may not be as ideologically polarized as most people think
Before we do an end-zone dance over this study, let's look at its limitations ...
Video: Are biotech crops safe? A brief history of the GMO debate
Recent studies show the general public and the scientific community are deeply divided on the perceived safety of GMOs. Ars ...
Quick FDA approval of GMO human insulin 36 years ago contrasts with today’s biotechnology regulatory sclerosis
This week marked the 36th anniversary of one of biotechnology’s most significant milestones—the approval by the FDA of human insulin ...
How Frankenstein and 200 years of horror stories have haunted the biotechnology revolution
It was a dark and stormy night in 1818, when something sinister was loosed upon the world. Okay, so it ...
Plants are great at storing CO2. These scientists aim to make them even better.
Researchers around the world are working to improve plants’ ability to combat climate change. Editor's note: This article was originally ...
Genetically modified astronauts? Why humans may need to be redesigned for deep-space missions
NASA is now preparing for a human mission to Mars, but if our descendants ever shrug off their terrestrial bonds, ...
Talking Biotech: Can genetically engineered cassava help African farmers?
Plant scientist Devang Mehta: African farmers lose 24% of their cassava crop each year on average due to the mosaic ...
Debating the need for genetic engineering of humans—there’s ‘nothing special’ about our DNA
One day in early spring, I received a unique email. Would I accept an invitation from Oxford University’s student debate ...
Talking Biotech: The genetic factors that makes sweet corn sweet
Geneticist Curt Hannah: Sweet corn was specifically discovered and selected because of its sweetness. But how does a kernel of ...
From GMOs to CRISPR: Making sense of how genetic engineering tweaks nature
Many new genetic engineering techniques have been stumbled upon by accident. Studying how bacteria defend themselves has led to CRISPR ...
Are humans genetically loaded for extinction?
Genetic load--the idea that we've had too many mutations to thrive--is making a comeback. A debate's brewing over whether it's ...
Viewpoint: If your interest is sustainability, organic and GMO labels won’t inform you
Focusing on tools and technologies—such as genetic engineering—can reduce agriculture's environmental footprint and promote sustainability, writes geneticist Maria Trainer ...
USDA scraps overhaul of GMO and gene edited crop regulations that biotech advocates viewed as ‘unscientific’
The Trump administration withdrew a proposed USDA rule change made by the Obama administration that would have been the first ...
Talking Biotech: A former skeptic’s struggle to bring GMO crops to Bolivia
Educator Cecilia Gonzalez: Bolivia has had to import GMO corn from Argentina due to crop failures. Insect-resistant Bt crops could ...
Talking Biotech: Uganda farmer-scientist on benefits of GMO disease resistant bananas
Kevin Folta in Uganda interviews scientists and farmers about bananas resistant to crop disease and the likelihood of commercialization ...