Week 6- Biotechnology

Vesna describes biotech as one of the most controversial areas we will cover in this class.  From what constitutes as biotech, to the ethical use of animals, this topic explores many areas and questions.  Mutating the bodies of animals is a big part of biotechnology.  
In Vesna’s lecture, she speaks about French scientist, Eduardo Kac, who is known for his florescent rabbit.  He would take florescent protein from a jellyfish, modify it to make its properties stronger and then insert this protein into the rabbit to make it glow.  This is transgenic art, an art form based on use of genetic engineering and transferring genes to an organism.  Animal rights activists view this art as cruel and unnecessary, and scientists see it as interesting but silly.  Kac believes his experiments helped understand the relationship between genetics, the organism, and the environment.  He created many debates in this field about ethic issues.

I believe this practice was animal cruelty.  I do not think it helped science with discoveries that outweighed the mutation of the rabbit.  I believe there should be limits on human creativity, as humans should not be able to use animals at their disposal in the name of “science.” 


Biotechnology is also seen in plants as a “super weed.”  It is found in the wetlands and it is being overtaken by a plant called phragmites.  It could be as a result of climate change and it is making the toxins in the plant stronger. The seeds then spread and in as soon as five years they could have overtaken all the plants.  Biotechnology is seen in many areas of nature, but it should be only used for necessary things as to avoid crossing boundaries.





Works Cited:
GFP BUNNY. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017. <http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor>. 
GFP BUNNY. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017. 
Super Weed Taking Strong Hold in Utah. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017. <http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=6754314>. 
"'Super Weed' Taking Strong Hold in Utah." KSL.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2017. <http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=6754314>.
Vesna, Victoria. “Intro” Biotechnology. Lecture.
Vesna, Victoria. "Lectures Part 1" Biotechnology. Lecture


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