Recently, scientists in New Zealand welcomed a terrific new genetically modified organism (GMO) into the world: A cute, tailless cow named "Daisy" that produces hypoallergenic milk. Scientists engineered the animal to address the problem of infant allergies to cow milk, which affects up to 3% of children in the developed world.
That's a big win for science and kids. But Daisy is only the latest example of the tremendous benefits of biotechnology. Last month, scientists reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that so-called "Golden Rice"—a strain of rice genetically modified to produce more beta-carotene—is more effective than spinach as a source of vitamin A. The World Health Organization estimates that 250,000-500,000 children go blind due to vitamin A deficiency annually, and half of them die within 12 months. Providing them with Golden Rice could help prevent this tragedy.
Yet who is against all GMOs and 2 of the 3 biggest science concerns that America faces? The ironically named Union of Concerned Scientists and, of course, Greenpeace. They have basically declared a war on poor people and come down in favor of the rich who will be able to afford their inefficient clean energy, inefficient organic food and instead spend their member donations complaining that science is too science-y and should embrace the 14th century instead.
Dr. Alex Berezow, my co-author on Science Left Behind, asks Europeans to embrace the modern world and be part of the science solution, in the European edition of the Wall Street Journal.
Embracing the Promise of GMOs by Alex Berezow, Wall Street Journal
