Genetic

Genetic research has produced both exciting and frightening possibilities. Scientists are now able to create new forms of life in the laboratory due to the development of gene splicing or gene joining. On the one hand, the ability to create life in the laboratory could greatly benefit human kind. For example, it is very expensive to obtain insulin from natural sources but through genetic research, scientists have now developed a way to manufacture it inexpensively in the laboratory. Another beneficial application of gene splicing is in agriculture.

Genetic engineers have created a new tomato that doesn’t spoil quickly. Consequently, tomato farmers can now let the tomatoes ripen on the plant and develop full flavor and color before they are picked - no more green, flavorless tomatoes in grocery stores! In addition, genetic engineers have created larger fish, frost-resistant strawberries, and more productive cows.

On the other hand, not everyone is positive about gene-splicing technology. Some people feel that it could have terrible consequences. A laboratory accident, for example, might cause an epidemic of an unknown disease that could wipe out humanity. Furthermore, the ability to clone human beings is a posibility that frightens many people. In 1993, a researcher at George Washington University Medical Center cloned human embryos by splitting single embryos into twins and triplets. These embryos did not developed into babies but it is possible that they could do so in the future. Because human embryos can be frozen and used at a later date, it could be possible for parents to have a child and then, years later, to use a cloned, frozen embryo to give birth to its identical twin.