Basics
The Bad Seeds: The Broken Promises of Agricultural Biotechnology
2009-10-14
Agricultural biotechnology has been promoted as a key tool to combat global hunger and poverty by increasing the productivity of farmers worldwide. The technology relies on genetically modified (GM) seeds and agrochemicals that are tailored to the genetic traits of the seeds. The biotechnology industry promised that farmers could increase their yields, lower production costs and reduce agrochemical use. Instead, American farmers have faced higher costs without higher productivity, risked lawsuits from seed companies, and applied more agrochemicals as weeds and insects developed resistance to the genetic crop traits.
Nanotechnology in Europe: Small Particles, Big Risks
2008-09-26
Nanotechnology is a new field of science in which particles smaller than 100 billionths of a meter can be manufactured by controlling matter on the molecular scale. Made from carbon, silver, zinc, gold and other elements, these minuscule bundles and rods are used in electronics, medical equipment and consumer products such as toothpaste, lotions and sunscreen.
Sweating the Small Stuff
2007-05-10
Nanotechnology has been touted as the next revolution in many industries, with more than 300 nanoproducts already on the market and sales of over $30 billion in 2005. This includes everything from sunscreen and stain resistant clothing to food, food packaging and dietary supplements.
Bacteriophages
2007-05-04
Most people have never heard of bacteriophages. But now that the U.S. government has given food companies permission to spray them on our food, consumers may want to learn all they can.
Cloned Animals on the Dinner Plate?
2007-05-04
In early 2008, the Food and Drug Administration announced that they considered meat and milk from cloned animals to be safe to eat despite years of controversy and a long list of unresolved ethical, health, and animal welfare concerns. The agency will not require any of these foods to be labeled.
Fact Sheets
Reports
- Unseen Hazards: from Nanotechnology to Nanotoxicity — Nanotechnology—engineering extremely small parti ...
- Carbon Monoxide — In today’s world, seeing is not believing –– ...