By Henry Fisher


There are many fields that have existed almost as long as humanity. One of these fields is biotechnology. Some of the food items such as bread which people eat today were discovered by distant ancestors in the attempt to make their lives easier. The truth is that bread is made through the process of fermentation, which makes use of yeast. The use of living organisms or process to achieve end results that improve human life is the basis of biotechnology. Here are facts regarding Biotechnologies.

There have been great advancements in the field of biotechnology from when it began to what it is today. The field was discovered by great scientists like Edward Jenner and Alexander Fleming. These scientists have greatly contributed to the existence of biotechnology. Vaccines were invented by Jenner and antibiotics were invented by Fleming. These products have been of great value to humanity.

Karl Ereky was an agriculturalist that came up with the term biotechnology in 1919. Ereky described the term as all works that involves production of end products from raw materials by use of living organisms. Currently, the field has advanced to greater extents. Scientists have come up with thoughtful discoveries to symbolize the development of biotechnology.

Scientists today are altering DNA and proteins to shape the abilities of living cells, plants and animals to be more helpful to humans. They attain this by changing DNA inside test tubes inside a laboratory. In the recent past, the manipulation is no longer being done inside test tubes, but inside cells that are living. The most thrilling discoveries in biotechnology in the recent past are taking place at microscopic level.

All-time discoveries in biotechnology have provided more benefits than dangers they pose. Many risks involved in biotechnology have been discussed, but very little have been encountered in real life. The increased concern about risks involved in this field in recent discoveries shows that the field has really grown to maturity. Below are a number of risks which are associated with biotechnology.

One of the many risks associated with biotechnology is unintended consequences. Biotechnology at the microscopic level is the one that is feared for producing the most devastating effects on human beings. Gene editing and deleting is an area of biotechnology that scientists and researchers are hoping could hold the key to many problems in the world.

Real-world tests have already been conducted where certain genes were deleted in human beings in order to control HIV, cancer, and many deadly medical conditions. However, gene deletion has proved to be more complicated than it is currently understood. With gene deletion, patients exhibited reactions and behavior in their genome that scientists did not plan for or anticipate. The tests had to be halted until more is known about gene deletion.

Weaponizing biology is another threat which biotechnology possess to the society. With the natural outbreak of deadly diseases such as Zika virus and Ebola, there are anticipations that similar outbreaks can be deliberately instigated in future. Through biotechnology, the outbreak of such diseases can be made intentionally by terrorists and other evil people with intentions of killing people and other reasons.




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