Biotechnology has many benefits, but it also has some disadvantages. Biotechnology can alter genes, transfer them from one species to another and create new organisms. It is not just used on plants and animals but also on bacteria, fungi and viruses. The potential for harm is illustrated by the Apple maggot fly. Genetically modifying crops may reduce genetic diversity. By altering bacteria and fungi, antibiotics have been produced that have saved many lives but are at the risk of becoming obsolete. These new products are not necessarily cheaper than products created using traditional methods. Creation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) like BT corn or Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybeans can also cause environmental problems. The genetic pollution of other crops through pollination is also a concern
DNA is the building block of life. It's found in all living things, from bacteria to fish to humans. DNA is made up of genes—small sections of DNA that contain information about how an organism will develop or function. Biotechnology can alter genes, transfer them from one species to another and create new organisms. For example, scientists can isolate a gene for resistance to disease and insert it into another organism like a tree or rice plant (Figure 1). This will make it more resistant to the disease than other plants without the inserted gene.
DNA can also be used as "living technology," meaning that scientists use biological materials like proteins and enzymes instead of man-made chemicals when they are making medical products such as insulin injections for people who have diabetes (Figure 2). The advantage here is that these biotechnologies come with fewer risks because they don't contain any synthetic chemicals which could cause side effects when injected into someone's body; however there are also disadvantages associated with using these types of products because they aren't always approved by regulatory agencies before being put on sale—something that needs careful consideration before buying into anything!
The potential for harm is illustrated by the Apple maggot fly. The apple maggot fly was introduced to the United States in the 19th century, and it has become a serious pest that feeds on apples, pears and other fruits. It is now found throughout North America and parts of Europe.
The apple maggot fly is a species of fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). Fruit flies are small insects with short life spans that lay eggs in ripening or decaying fruit. Fruit flies do not bite people or animals; they simply lay their eggs in rotting or fermenting fruit or vegetables. When hatched, these larvae feed on soft plant tissue until they mature into adults that can repeat this cycle all over again!
Genetic diversity is important for a number of reasons. It allows crops to survive harsh conditions, such as drought or flooding. It also provides plants with more resistance to pests and diseases. Genetic diversity helps ensure crops can adapt to changing environmental conditions in the future, so they can continue providing food for people around the world.
Genetic modification reduces genetic diversity because it typically involves crossbreeding two different species or artificially creating hybrids that have never existed before (like corn crossed with fish). This process creates plants with fewer chromosomes than their parents had before they were hybridized—in other words, less genetic information than both of their parents had together (this process is called "reduction"). This can leave plants less able to adapt quickly when environmental changes occur; in fact, some scientists have found evidence suggesting that genetically modified crops are more susceptible than non-genetically modified ones when exposed to certain pathogens or pests!
When it comes to antibiotics, you may have seen the term “antibiotic-resistant bacteria” in headlines or heard it from your doctor. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are, as the name suggests, bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics used against them. How does this happen?
A bacterium is resistant if its DNA contains special genes that allow it to fight off certain drugs and chemicals. These genes can be passed from one bacterium to another and even between different species of bacteria, making antibiotic resistance a global problem requiring global solutions.
Antibiotics are often used when someone has an infection caused by bacteria—for example, E coli or staphylococcus aureus—but they don't work on viruses like those that cause colds or flu (although some do work on fungal infections).
Biotechnology is a new technology, and it's not as efficient as traditional methods. So, for example, if you're making something like a hamburger using biotechnology, the cost of producing that single burger will be higher than if you made it with traditional methods.
The same goes for many other products: shampoo, cheese, yogurt and even perfumes can be created more cheaply through traditional means than by using biotechnology.
Biotechnology isn't necessarily cheaper than traditional methods; in fact there are many cases where biotech products are more expensive to manufacture than their counterparts in traditional manufacturing processes
One of the biggest problems with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) like BT corn or Monsanto's Roundup Ready soybeans is that they can cause environmental problems. For example, GMO seeds have been shown to cross-pollinate with non-GMO crops, which leads to contamination and farmers losing their organic certification. A recent study found that GMO cotton in China had contaminated non-GMO varieties when compared to similar tests from ten years earlier; this suggests a growing trend toward genetic mixing between genetically engineered plants and conventional crops.
In addition to being potentially harmful to the environment, GMOs can also cause economic problems for farmers who grow them because these seeds are expensive compared to traditional seeds without genetic modification technology built into them--and if something goes wrong with those expensive seed stocks (i.e., if there's a drought), it can put the whole farm at risk because those seeds were purchased upfront instead of being leased from a company like Monsanto once every year or two like would normally happen with regular corn seedlings!
Another potential problem associated with GMOs is health concerns--but only indirectly so because there hasn't been enough research done yet regarding whether eating foods containing these modified genes causes any long term health effects over time! So while we don't know what may happen 20 years down road when our children eat these things regularly on their plate during dinner time each night...we do know that right now no one has been able to prove conclusively whether this technology will give consumers cancer
Pollination is the process by which pollen from the male part of a plant fertilizes the female part of another plant. This can happen naturally or through human intervention, such as when growers use bees to pollinate crops (a practice known as beekeeping). While this system can be effective, it also carries some risk — if pollen from genetically modified plants pollinates other plants, then you have cross-pollination between two varieties and could end up with one that's genetically different from either parent.
Biotechnology can be controversial and cause environmental problems if used irresponsibly or inadvertently. Biotechnology can also be used to create new products, such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs are organisms in which the genetic material has been changed through genetic engineering. Biotechnology may help solve the problem of food shortages by producing more crops and livestock, but it can also cause problems with the environment, such as creating more greenhouse gases from all the machinery needed for spraying chemicals on plants.
Biotechnology is controversial and has the potential for environmental problems. However, this does not mean that it should be avoided. The risks of using biotechnology are no greater than the risks associated with any other technology.