GMO

The Rumors Were True: Scientists edited the genomes of human embryos for the first time

Excerpt: “In March, a rumor surfaced in the scientific community that was intriguing, and perhaps a bit chilling: According to those in the know, researchers in China had successfully edited the genomes of human embryos, altering their DNA in a way never accomplished in our own species. MIT Technology Review reported on the murmurings that someone had altered the germ line —…

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Now Your Food Has Fake DNA In It

Like many novel technologies in this age of TED Talks and Silicon Valley triumphalism, synthetic biology—synbio for short—floats on a sea of hype. One of its founding scientists, Boston University biomedical engineer James Collins, has called it “genetic engineering on steroids.” Whereas garden-variety genetic engineers busy themselves moving genes from one organism into another—to create tomatoes that don’t bruise easily,…

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The Price of Your Right to Know

The impassioned quest to label foods made with genetically modified organisms is heading for the states.  “Don’t think that it’s not coming to you,” warned Hawaii Attorney General David Louie at a meeting of state attorneys general.  They certainly understood.  In 2014 alone, 25 states have proposed 67 pieces of legislation related to GMO labeling.  After near misses in California…

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