Skepticism about Genetic Engineering

 Flowers exploding - with color…

In the past, I've been mostly skeptical and hard on genetic
engineering, as you may well know. As a concept, I find it a
little scary. As much as I foresee the incredible
opportunity for advancement in the healing arts because of
these emerging technologies, I also see tremendous (and
horrendous) propensity for abuses - for genetic modification
to spiral out-of-control until we're fighting off mutants of
our own design.  

Need an example? Just a few weeks ago (Daily Dose, 1/23), I
wrote about the disease-resistant "Frankenskeeter" mosquito
that scientists have spent years cooking up to combat insect-
borne threats to our health - instead of just frying the
little buggers with harmless DDT! In that case, genome
science took the place of the proper solution, at who knows
what expense and effect in the long run.   

That's why I'm extremely reluctant to praise any kind of
genetic modification of anything. However, a recent Reuters
online article struck me as exactly the kind of GM project I
could get behind and support with all my heart. Here's the
scoop, in summary: A Danish biotech firm has developed a
cheap, harmless flower variety that changes color as it
grows…

But only when planted over an UNEXPLODED LAND MINE!

By reacting to the nitrogen dioxide land mines gives off,
these lifesaving plants could safely and easily protect
innocent people in 45 countries around the world from the
estimated ONE HUNDRED MILLION pieces of unexploded ordnance
currently buried from wars past. Ingenious in its
simplicity, this is precisely the kind of development that
fills my heart with hope for the future of gen-tech.

Imagine if this same kind of technology were put to work in
our everyday lives. What if there were an ordinary
houseplant that would change color in the presence of
otherwise undetectable radon gas in the home? What if that
flower on your kitchen window would drop all of its leaves
if you watered it with tap water containing too much
fluoride, lead, mercury or other toxin? Wouldn't it be great
if the plants you artfully landscaped your property with
could somehow warn you of unsafe air, electrical impulses
from nearby power lines, or even nuclear fallout?

I'm sure these things are a long way off (if ever), but it's
sure nice to see someone thinking along those lines now,
isn't it?   

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"Healthy" ice cream?

Remember me writing back in February about the pending
European red-wine-in-a-pill dietary supplement? (Daily Dose,
2/13/2004)

Well apparently, the craze to capitalize on the healthy
benefits of the antioxidant polyphenols and flavonoids in
red wine without actually imbibing goes far beyond simple
supplement pills…

According to online sources, an Australian company that has
been making and marketing a fat-free variety of ice cream
called Chocollo for years is planning on launching a new
hybrid ice cream that incorporates red wine antioxidants
into the mix. Supposedly, these potent new antioxidants will
add to the antioxidant power of the chocolate already
present in this "healthy" ice cream - according to the
confection maker's spokesperson, anyway.

Personally, I'm skeptical. After all, ice cream by any other
name fattens just as sweetly, what with its gobs of sugar
and meaningless calories. But temptation toward sweets is an
all-too-common fault, and better ice cream should have
healthy antioxidants than not, right? Also, Australia's
National Heart Foundation gave Chocollo ice cream its
official endorsement long ago, and the addition of these
antioxidants can only serve to make it healthier - er, less
unhealthy, I mean.

So, to my friends and fans down under I say: If you must
dish out a scoop now and then, stick to this antioxidant
version. But avoiding ice cream and other sweets altogether
is a far better plan… 

And that goes for all of us here in the states as well -
alright, mate?