The Truth About Genetic Modification of Crops

摘要

Crops are human inventions, albeit taking thousands of years to arrive in their now-familiar forms. The maize (corn), wheat, rice, soybean, tomato, and potato we know today (and a plethora of others) don't really exist in the wild — they never did. Their ancestors, many of which still do exist in nature, have several things going against us, which instigated their domestication by our ancestors. The lack of sustainable "crop" yield was one motivator. Another was nutrition. Eating wild "natural" plants can be hazardous to our health. Plants are adept at producing a cornucopia of chemicals to defend themselves against pests (including us), poisoning all who dare to taste their leaves, fruits, and seeds.