Finally, I got a blog!
While researching in the net for some info about the corn industry in the Philippines, I can across this picture which scientists (like me, ahemm) would really find stupid and at the same time frustrating...
Greenpeace volunteers uprooted Bt corns planted in a farm in Mindoro. The problem is that they're too overdressed for the job, possibly due to ignorance of what Bt corn is, or maybe because they want to put up a show which, in the end, they would turn out as funny.
Bt corn is a genetically modified crop that is resistant to insect pests. Scientists created this crop by integrating the gene of a certain harmless soil bacteria named Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into the corn genome. This gene produces a toxin that specifically kills insects, but is harmless to mammals and most other creatures. Thus, contrary to claims loudly voiced out by some people who heed not the scientific facts behing Bt corn, the crop is not at all toxic for consumption.
What makes them look stupid is that the volunteers are dressed as if they were going to handle a highly infectious pathogen. Truly, they are an epitome of ignorance (sorry for the term) that miseducates the people. What makes it frustrating is that their misconducts are hampering the technology that may make the lives of millions of people better.
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