The one-dimensional world of genetic engineering

Abstract

The “genetic engineering” experiment began over half a century ago with the first laboratory demonstration of “transgenesis” in 1971. These are life forms with unprecedented configurations of hereditary bases that have not gone through tests and trials and have not been driven by evolution. In technological areas such as materials science or computer science, basic scientific discoveries have rapidly led to tangible technical developments and economic successes. In the case of genetic engineering, the great agricultural success story did not materialize. However, this has not prevented new promises and exaggerated expectations. In reverse. The reason for this situation is the subject of this essay. Some parts of the text are taken from a chapter of the book that Chapela and the author recently published.