NC Museum of Natural Sciences holds 'Biotechnology Day' for children with presentations by Monsanto

Tuesday, July 03, 2012 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
Tags: biotechnology, museum, Monsanto

(NaturalNews) The largest and most comprehensive natural history museum in the Southeast, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) is one of the premier educational destinations for both young and old alike to learn about the natural world in a fun, interactive environment. But this beacon of cultural enlightenment has apparently been infiltrated by Monsanto and numerous other corporate interests, all of which were allowed to give presentations at the museum's recent "Biotechnology Day."

According to the NCMNS website, the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) partnered with Kelly Services, a local staffing agency, to hold the first ever Biotechnology Day at the museum, which was tag-lined with the somewhat menacing phrase "Biotechnology in Your Daily Life!" The stated goal of the event was to "demystify biotechnology" and enlighten the public as to how it affects their everyday lives.

"Organizations (companies, educational institutions, non-profits) from around the state will be participating with hands-on demonstrations, experiments and crafts," says the event's description. Included among these presenters were representatives from both the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, which were essentially given an open pulpit from which to indoctrinate the minds of young children into the dogma of drugs and GMOs (genetically-modified organisms).

Monsanto, BASF, and Pfizer all gave presentations at Biotechnology Day

The very first presentation given during Biotechnology Day was titled "A Drug Comes to Market," and was given by a senior learning technologist from clinical trial giant PPD. Other presentations included "Better Crops for a Better Future," which was given by a representative of biotechnology giant BASF, as well as another given by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Campbell University titled "Are You Taking Biotech Medicines?"

There was also a workshop on vaccines given by the CEO of a vaccine company known as Arbovax Inc, as well as a number of exhibits promoting GMOs and the use of emerging biotechnologies for creating "a better life." Monsanto, the king of the biotechnology castle, even had a deceptive exhibit titled "Applications of Biotechnology to Enhance Crop Productivity."

A mid-day session included a presentation from a Pfizer engineer who explained to children a little bit more about how proteins are extracted and "purified" for use in biotechnological applications. And the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC) held a hands-on exhibit where children were taught how to manufacture biotechnology materials using grape soda.

Children roped into supporting drugs and GMOs with fun experiments, arts and crafts, and hands-on experiences

North Carolina's "Triangle" area, which encompasses the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill areas in the central part of the state, is dominated by some of the world's largest biotechnology and drug companies. GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, PPD, BASF, Pfizer, Biogen Idec, Bayer CropScience, and Monsanto all call the Triangle home. And these companies hold significant influence over statewide politics, institutions of higher learning, and health care systems.

With this in mind, it is no surprise that these companies were able to exploit a local museum to brainwash children into supporting the agendas of the drug and GMO industries. And the worst part is that these corporate vultures used arts and crafts, colorful displays, fun experiments, and various other hands-on experiences that children love to do.

Be sure to check out the disturbing lineup of events at NCMNS' inaugural Biotechnology Day yourself: http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/biotechnology-day

You can contact NCMNS to share your thoughts about Biotechnology Day at: http://naturalsciences.org/contact-us

Sources for this article include:

http://naturalsciences.org/programs-events/biotechnology-day

http://naturalsciences.org/contact-us

https://www.naturalnews.com/biotechnology.html