"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."

Aug 31, 2007

Useful Mutants

Published: August 28, 2007 -NYTimes

VIENNA — Pierre Lagoda pulled a small container from his pocket and spilled the contents onto his desk. Four tiny dice rolled to a stop.

Photo illustration by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Pierre Lagoda, the head of plant breeding and genetics at the International Atomic Energy Agency, showing mutated plants at a greenhouse in Austria.

“That’s what nature does,” Dr. Lagoda said. The random results of the dice, he explained, illustrate how spontaneous mutations create the genetic diversity that drives evolution and selective breeding.

He rolled the dice again. This time, he was mimicking what he and his colleagues have been doing quietly around the globe for more than a half-century — using radiation to scramble the genetic material in crops, a process that has produced valuable mutants like red grapefruit, disease-resistant cocoa and premium barley for Scotch whiskey.

“I’m doing the same thing,” he said, still toying with the dice. “I’m not doing anything different from what nature does. I’m not using anything that was not in the genetic material itself.”

2 Comments:

At 3:50 PM , Blogger trog69 said...

My physical Sci. teacher in HS would point out the "all-natural" on food and other packages. "Natural? As opposed to what? Some other universe?"

 
At 5:40 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Trog- Natural ingredients, as opposed to synthetic or processed.

But even a declaration of 'natural' is misleading in terms of food ingredients in the USA. For instance, the use of msg is hidden behind the label 'natural flavors', etc.

All due respect, your 'physical Sci. teacher' is a moron. Should know better.

 

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home



~There is no God and we are his prophets.~

-Cormac McCarthy-
___________
_______
__




Man is superior to the stars if he lives in the power of superior wisdom. Such a person being the master over heaven and earth by means of his will is a magus and magic is not sorcery but supreme wisdom

-Paracelsus-



TERRORISM NEWS


'The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them'.....'Every war when it comes, or before it comes, is represented not as a war but as an act of self-defense against a homicidal maniac.'.....'In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act.'.....'War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.' George Orwell


war is terror



Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasaGo with God and in Good Health

photo credit: http://www.freeimages.co.uk/Powered by Blogger ---Who Links Here--- Site Feed
Site best viewed in Firefox, Mozilla or with eyes wide shut.
Free counters provided by Andale