GMOs vs artifical selection, and why Neil Degrasse Tyson and Bill Nye don't know what they're talking about

(NaturalNews) According to the World Health Organization, GMOs are "...organisms in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally."

Genetically modified organisms are organisms built with genes from more than one species. The process involves laboratories and scientists followed by regulators, lawyers and lobbyists. There is nothing natural about it. So when biotech argues that the techniques for creating GMO crops are just like traditional crop breeding techniques, those statements are blatantly false.

An Example of a Frankenfood

One of the first GMO crops to be put on the market was Bt-corn. Bt-corn was made a few decades ago by combining the genes of a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, with the DNA of corn. This genetic modification was engineered to create corn that produces pesticide. Every cell now produces a new protein never before seen in corn, the Bt endotoxin or Bt protein. The toxin is produced in sufficient quantities to kill insects.

The Bt protein or Bt endotoxin must be ingested in order for it to kill. After ingestion, the Bt protein binds to the insect's digestive tract. It can no longer feed, and in a matter of hours, its gut breaks down, and bacteria from its digestive tract flood the insect's body. It dies of septicemia, eaten from within.

Other examples of GMOs include adding a gene from a fish into tomatoes and strawberries to protect them from freezing. Goats have been injected with spider genes in order to produce milk that contains proteins more durable than Kevlar. Also rice has been injected with human genes to manufacture pharmaceuticals.

The GMO Debate and Prominent Scientists

Neil Degrasse Tyson argues that all foods are genetically modified and that people have an irrational fear of these new foods. Bill Nye echoes the same sentiments. Both have begun publicly supporting GMOs. Neither individuals are experts on genetics, nutrition, health, or biology. Dr. Tyson is an accomplished astrophysicist. Bill Nye earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. Both individuals studied under Carl Sagan, and the late Carl Sagan had something very different to say about genetic engineering.

"Fortunately, we do not know, or at least do not yet know...how to assemble alternative sequences of nucleotides...to make alternative kinds of human beings. In the future, we might well be able to put nucleotides together...in any desired sequence...to produce human characteristics we think desirable. A disquieting and awesome prospect." - Carl Sagan

"Biology is more like history than it is like physics. You have to know the past to understand the present. There is no predictive theory of biology just as there is no predictive theory of history. The reason is the same; both subjects are still too complicated for us." - Carl Sagan.

A Geneticist Weighs In

David Suzuki agrees that biology and genetics (a subfield of biology), are unpredictable. He doesn't think that GMOs have been adequately tested, and he says that biotech has put us all in a great experiment by prematurely introducing GMOs to the food supply.

Genetic Modification and Artificial Selection Are Not The Same Thing

Biotech argues that genetically modifying food is no different than artificial selection. Irrefutably, both processes change the genes of plants and animals, but artificial selection carries genes within populations that are constrained by species, such as breeding a Cocker spaniel with a poodle to create a cookapoo or cultivating the biggest, juiciest tomatoes. Genes from different species are not put together - instead the best characteristics of a plant or animal are promoted through cultivation or breeding.

GMO plants cannot be contained. They are contaminating other conventional and organic crops and their spread is inevitable due to weather, wind, birds, and pollinating insects. This is an experiment run amok, with little to no constraints and little to no understanding of the eventual consequences.

If you're looking to detoxify from GMOs, here are two formula recipes that help with that: Blood Detox, and Total Nutrition. For more information on the difference between heirlooms hybrids and GMOs, and how to avoid GMOs, check out the first three sources below.

Sources:

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/how-to-avoid-gmos/

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/gmo-science/

http://www.biotecharticles.com

http://gmo-awareness.com

http://truthwiki.org/The_Green_Revolution_-_Agriculture

http://truthwiki.org/GMO_Dangers,_opinion

http://truthwiki.org/Genetically_modified_crops

http://truthwiki.org/Gene_Gun

About the author:
Joel learned long ago that pharmaceuticals were not the answer to health and vitality. He gave up on pharmaceuticals many years ago, and he also gave up wheat and refined sugars. His hobbies include gluten free baking, gardening, and fitness. Joel is passionate about agriculture and environmental issues. Joel believes that progressive, cutting-edge, organic agriculture can feed the world.