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bi*l*gic*l scirnces surh ** Beileti{$, m:{rcbicilegy, bi*cher*is{r}i ernbry*}*gy, e e}l hiol*gy ar:d
in many instances is alsa dependent cn knawledge *nri methods from outside the sphere of
bioiogy like chemicri engineering. inforruation teehnology ancl biorotratics.

ffi Wtrat are the argiuments for it?

Biotechuology is essentially the use of teehnalogi, to make biologieal proce$$es benefrt
mankitd, Amang the advantages the msst rrnporta$t cne$ are the fuliowing: genetie
engi*eertng tech.niqr.res rmprove fu*d crops; the creafiorr trf ge*etirally modi{ied foods mahes
it possibte to feed the ever-growing world popuiation; molecirlar hreeding nrethods hetp to
impr'*ve livestock; mr.rlecular bioiogy metl:ods help to u*derstand the nature of dis."ases as
well as to diagnase genetic tiisorders. The use ofstem cells nrakes it possiblc to treat diseases
and it has led ta the ereatir:n *f ihc hum*n Se*arne (gene map) aad has enablsd x.s to *ipne
IINA a*d n:ake miili*ns sf id*xtical e*pie*. The use +f flNA fi *gerprinring in the c*urt af law
helps to shed light *n *rimin*I casex,

ffiVU}ware some peopte serious[r aEainst it?

Th* disrdrcntages jnelude *thicai tnd rcrrra} i$scr** r*srmuxdixg cloning and the effect rhis
h** *rr s<tciety. Medicin* carr help us *'seresru* dLrcases, and curc thr. uncrreble. However" it
can also be used to c,reate super-viruses with the potential to wipe out the entrre wortrtl
popularion- Genctie engineering in agriculrure may help us prod.l..o more foatl trr feed the
world, silce we can now modify the seeds to be "disease-free" but again in doing so it could,
actuelly *reate e super-virus which cculd have the opp*sit* effect$ and wipe *:ut rlur focd
supply" Also, the effects +f eating genetically mndified food *ver a long period of time is still
nnknown. As fcr farrning, it also creates a lot of csntroversy whether or nqt GM crsp$ aT'e
good or bad, anri r,shether or nr:t the public is willing to accept that the food they re eating has
been tampered with by a scientist in a white c*at. Eyer,y aspect of science and technol*gy is a
d*uble-edged sword. Siotechr:ology is a very promisi*g suhjerr, i tlri::k. It hrs c*ntributed
greatly to the develollmeflt of eear:omy and s+eiety for severai year$, yet it caa also bring r.rs
dinaster if we use it incorrectly.

WWo*aycu ttke to eat geneticaHy moAme*

vegr*abl*s?
E) I thi$k there is*-t a chaice in thi* issue really. As
iire climatr warms, and the ouo*J p*t*ut*no
ilcreases, the pnce af foeid i* g+lsg to increaee
to rnuch higher levels. And a* eil reserrves ehri*k,
,,,.t9* pri***-,1q#,i*rr*xs* $tiII . ,,n'third'
,, ,, i ' +$s..#I*, will h*ve tt{{} eh*ic**; _GM"*$ or r*fiss
j
:,r:, #t*rv-*[!@",@q ffiJl, * *ur$ri$fu6srr-LwiX]ir:g]y
peopie *ili a*eept Ghf ercps drlce they have Ro
otler akernatile-
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,.'. -ffigir-rg'is a* ur*br*ll6 tcflrr tr*difional$y;@d.,by *ciesti*rs
ta describr <tiiferenl processes for duplicating biolagicai
materi*I- When th* nr*dia r*p*rt *n cl**ing i* rhe new*,
they usua|Iy taIk aboutor:lyone typeca.tl*d repn:duerive
cloning. There are diflerent types of ctroning however,
ancl clanirrg technoiogies can be useti for other
pilrp$$ei besides pr*ducing the ge*etic twin of
another organism. A hasic understanding af thc
different tvpes of clon ing is keyro taking an infcrmed
$tance o$ current public policy issues and making the
bast possiblc personal decisians. The follcwing thre*
types of ci*niirg terh**l*gi*s *xi*tr {g recsmhi$*nf *@
DI"JA technology or IJNA eloning, (2i repr*ductive
cl*ning, and Gi th*rape*Xi* cl*mi:rg.

I belierre that cioning animals is a rather contrercr*iai iq1ue. What we know abnut the
relativeiy nhort history of this SelJ af Uiote.trnoiogyir *** i* U** bee* fuif of pr*blems. Early
cloned animal embry+s were ffiostlf r*nfit for life, sslfered frrrm different diseases and hari a
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lems?
nF,ss-i.d.h-lt}d sen bs aJr er$wsr to cert&tnir?re*f pruh*
t:
Umbilical cqrrA Uloo* is the t*o,:d }e* over in rhe placenta and in the umbilical ccrd after f he
birth af the baby. The cord blu*d c$ntaifi$ stem cells, i*cluding hem*topoi*iX rdl"s Umlillcat
il" ",
"' mrdb}**d.isw11"r*** *d:1s,S.g,u$ef'u} for-trentinghe$@i*ri* aM g*n*ti* dis*xd+rp-

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 Removing thr. umbilieal cord bI*od i* rr*t harmful t* thr* hahy *nd the blood wcr.rld norrnslly
be thrown away fl$ m*di*al wast*

ffi Does ssciety approve of scientific research that involves testing on animats?
1bday, arrimal-rights groupsi want to ban the use of anirnatrs in scientj{ic testirl14. They claim
that animal experimentatian and the kitling of anirnals for research is unethical, cnrel, an<i
ufine{es$ery. One *f t}re most inftuentiel animat-rig}rts graups is PETA {Peop}e for the Ethjcal
Treatment of Animals). Researcheni agree that the use *f animals rs *bsoiutely crucial for
xls$ HIYIAII)$ research c*rntiusted tsdap Oprponents of animal experimentati+n *l,so argue
that researchers should ernploy altematives to animal use- There are r*rious fbderal laws ind
regulati*ns ta safeguard the welfare of laboratory animals. Opponents of animal research
argue that *nimal exgirrimentation and animal testing is unethical and cruet. lAlhile meclical
researchers study cell and tissue cultures, these isalated tssts pr*vide +nly is*iated results.
Their m*ttt is 'Anima}.s are rrot ours ts eat" r#ear, experiinent on or lrse fr:r entertainment.-
Every d*y, all around rhe wcri*J, millirins of peopte with HIVIAIDS hope thar advances
in scientilie research will save rheir }ives. Today, animal rescareh ,.*nin, rontroversial.
Accord.ing to }.{cbel Frize leinner Sir }+hn Vane quoted. by rhe Research Oefelrse Scciety r:rr
the r+eb, "The mecijeirres of tomortow will tlepend upon research being done today. 1'or wirich
*nimal experimentati+n is esse.::.tiaL*

ffi Xtr,t d* *nirn*l rights activistr protc$t ageinst Glrperi?ftsnts #lr antrnel$?
*ertain radical aninr*i rigktg activi*t$ Ss as far as breaking int+ lab*rafcrie* axd darnagi*g
equrpment. They have also threatened and blackmailed scieniists w*rkingin thorc lahoratJrirl
in addition to orga*islng agg[ressive street demonstrations. S+me group members even ettack
fih'*stars and celebs and spray paint on their fur coats.

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