Author: Annika Linnet

Image by CDC Written by Annika Linnet Normally when people hear the word “genetics'', they think of gene therapy or oncology. Genetic engineering is usually associated with the medical field but has several uses. A growing prospect in genetics is its use in agriculture and microbiology. GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are a great example of genetic engineering in agriculture. Often misperceived as toxic, GMOs are actually just fruit and vegetable seeds that are slightly altered to thrive in different environments, creating more food for more people. One concern when it comes to GMOs is the risk that comes with monocultures, or crops with limited genetic diversity that can eventually become more susceptible to extinction and cause habitat loss. While concerns such as thes...