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Nowadays in the news you can read a lot about biotechnology and the controversies about it and perhaps you ask yourself what it is exactly. Well, this article is going to give you a brief history of the field of biotechnology and show you that, although the word “biotechnology” was first used in 1919, we have been using biotechnology for many thousands of years in ways that are completely uncontroversial. It will also look at the more modern developments which have started intense debate. When you are drinking a cold beer on a hot day, or eating a delicious cheese sandwich, you can thank biotechnology for the pleasure you are experiencing. That’s right! Beer, bread and cheese are all produced using biotechnology. Perhaps a definition will be useful to understand how. A standard definition is that biotechnology (or biotech for short) is the application of science and engineering to the direct or indirect use of living organisms. And as you know, the food and drink above are all produced by the fermentation of micro-organisms. In beer, the yeast multiplies as it eats the sugars in the mixture and turns them into alcohol and CO2. This ancient technique was first used in Egypt to make bread and wine around 4000BC! Antibiotics are used to prevent and treat diseases, especially those caused by bacteria. They are natural substances that are created by bacteria and fungi. The first antibiotic was made in China in about 500BC – to cure boils. In 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin and it was considered a medical miracle. Modern research is looking at the creation of super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them. Our modern consumer society produces a lot of waste which needs to be disposed of safely and without harmful end products. Environmental biotechnology can help. Indeed, the use of bacteria to treat sewage was first practiced in 1914 in Manchester, England. Vermiculture or using worms to treat waste is another environmentally-friendly practice and the end product is a natural fertiliser. Bacteria have even been developed to help with problems such as oil spills. They convert crude oil and gasoline into non-toxic substances such as carbon dioxide, water and oxygen and help create a cleaner, healthier environment. These examples of biotechnology are accepted by most people. However, the discovery of the DNA structure by Watson and Crick in 1953 was the beginning of the modern era of genetics and the following areas of biotech are very controversial. Read on… The genetic modification of plants and crops has been in practice for many years. This involves changing the genetic code of these plants so that they are more resistant to bad conditions like drought, floods and frost. Supporters of GM food say that it can offer the consumer better quality, safety and taste and for over a decade Americans have been eating GM food. However, things are very different in Europe where genetically modified food is very strictly regulated and regarded with deep suspicion by the public. GM food has even been called “Frankenfood” in the press, a term inspired by the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. There is a great cultural divide between America and Europe over whether such food is safe to eat and will not harm the environment and the discussion is still in progress. 1997 saw the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first animal cloned from an adult cell. This was a remarkable achievement which created world-wide debate on the ethical issues surrounding cloning. International organisations such as the European parliament, UNESCO and WHO all declared that human cloning is both morally and legally wrong. However, we need to make a distinction between reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. Nowadays the idea of reproductive cloning – creating a copy of another person - is no longer interesting for researchers. Instead therapeutic cloning is creating excitement in the biotech world. Key to this technique is stem cells, which are master cells that have the potential to become any other kind of cell in the body e.g. nerve cells, blood, heart muscle or even brain cells. Stem cells themselves have generated a lot of controversy as it was believed that only human embryos could provide them. However, it now appears that adult stem cells offer the same possibility. This would mean that a patient who suffered a heart attack could provide doctors with his adult stem cells which could then be implanted back into his heart and used to create heart muscle, replacing the muscle that was damaged. As the genetic code is identical, there would be no problem of the body rejecting the implant as, unfortunately, happens with organ transplants. In the future, biotechnologists hope that stem cells could be used to grow entire organs. In this way biotechnology offers the hope of revolutionising medical treatment. In this brief overview of the history of biotechnology we have jumped from making bread to making human organs - an enormous leap- and it is clear that these modern practices raise many controversial issues. However, despite the debate, we can imagine that as biotechnology has been around for many years, it will still be around for some time to come - but who knows where it will take us?
Questions:
After reading, choose the best answer for the following questions
1. What is the main topic of the article?
Brief history and modern developments of biotechnology
Benefit of biotechnology
Modern research in biotechnology
2. What does the pronoun "IT" in the first paragraph refer to?
Biotechnology
The article
The word "Biotechnology"
3. Which products were first made with fermentation of micro-organisms?
Beer, bread and cheese
Bread and wine
Beer and cheese
Decide whether the statement below is True or False.
4. Alexander Fleming discovered super-antibodies which can kill bacteria and viruses inside the cells that house them.
TrueFalse
5. GM food is easily available in the U.S. and Europe.
TrueFalse
6.Researchers believe that adult stem cells could be used to create body parts.
TrueFalse
1. I see that Tom (writes/ is writing) his composition.
2. He says that he (looks/ will look) for a job next week.
3. They think he (was/ would be) here last night.
4. He tells us that he (was/has been) to the mountains before.
5. I hope that he (will be/ would be) able to attend.
6. H wants to do it before his father (will come/comes).
7. People have said that the sun (rises) in the East.
8. He says he (does/will do) it some time.
9. He asked the guard what time the train usually (starts/started).
10. He told me the morning that he (is going/was going) with us the following day.
11. He says that he (finished/will finish) the project by May.
12. I realized that they (are/were) older than they looked.
13. I hear that Kate (accepted/has accepted) a new position.
14. They told me they (have never seen/ had never seen) her before.
15. We know that you (move/will move) to France next year.
16. In Britain, the weather ks is very varied. People (never know/ has never known) what it (is/will be) like the next day.
17. He (is/had been) I'll for a long time before he died.
18. She didn't tell me the reason why she (didn't come/ hadn't come) to school the day before.
19. I had no map, that's why I (got/get) lost.
20. I hope it (does not rain/ will not rain) when we start early tomorrow.
1. I see that Tom (writes/ is writing) his composition.
2. He says that he (looks/ will look) for a job next week.
3. They think he (was/ would be) here last night.
4. He tells us that he (was/has been) to the mountains before.
5. I hope that he (will be/ would be) able to attend.
6. H wants to do it before his father (will come/comes).
7. People have said that the sun (rises) in the East.
8. He says he (does/will do) it some time.
9. He asked the guard what time the train usually (starts/started).
10. He told me the morning that he (is going/was going) with us the following day.
11. He says that he (finished/will finish) the project by May.
12. I realized that they (are/were) older than they looked.
13. I hear that Kate (accepted/has accepted) a new position.
14. They told me they (have never seen/ had never seen) her before.
15. We know that you (move/will move) to France next year.
16. In Britain, the weather ks is very varied. People (never know/ has never known) what it (is/will be) like the next day.
17. He (is/had been) I'll for a long time before he died.
18. She didn't tell me the reason why she (didn't come/ hadn't come) to school the day before.
19. I had no map, that's why I (got/get) lost.
20. I hope it (does not rain/ will not rain) when we start early tomorrow.
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Question 11: What is The Singularity?
A. An event giving rise to future human beings.
B. An event giving rise to future artificial intelligence.
C. An event giving rise to future alien civilisation.
Question 12: Why could The Singularity put an end to humans?
A. Because A.I. might imitate human intelligence.
B. Because A.I. is similar to human intelligence.
C. Because A.I. will exceed human intelligence.
Question 13: What does Kurzweil say about technologies?
A. Technologies are avoidable.
B. Technologies are safe and friendly.
C. Technologies are double-edged swords.
Question 14: Why does Kurzweil hope for the coming of The Singularity?
A. Because it would have economic advantages.
B. Because life could be extended
C. Because human would have virtual entertainment.
Question 15: How does Kurzweil respond to critics of his theories
A. He thinks that they do not evaluate correctly the rapid growth of technology.
B. He thinks that the realisation of genuine artificial intelligence is a challenge.
C. He thinks that future events cannot be predicted with our current mean.
Choose the letter A, B, C or D to answer these following questions
According to futurist Ray Kurzweil human civilisation will be unavoidably transformed in the year 2045 by an event that he call The Singularity. He suggests that exponential technological development will lead to the inevitable rise of artificial intelligence (A.I.). Such advanced technology may make humanity insignificant.
Kurzweil says that technologies are double-edged swords and envisions the possibility that an artificial intelligence might decde to put an end to humanity simply because it surpasses human intelligence. Kurzweil does have faith in mankind, however. He suggests that people are wise to accept that technological progress is unavoidable and that such acceptance will make the process of transition easier.
Kurzweil has personal reasons to hope for the coming of The Singularity, because he wants his life to be extended by it. Kurzweil envisions that future medical advances could invent tiny computerised machines, or nanobots, which operate inside the body to enhance the immune system. In addition ne believes that future technology might be able to resurrect his deceased father.
Looking at the state of current technological advances in many fields such as medicine, navigation and communication, Kurzweil's visions may not be unbelievable.The critical issue, however, is whether genuine artificial intelligence can ever be truly realised. Kurzweil suggests that critics of his theories, who believe that the human brain is too complex to duplicate, are underestimating what the exponential growth in technology can eventually accomplish.
Question 11: What is The Singularity?
A. An event giving rise to future human beings.
B. An event giving rise to future artificial intelligence.
C. An event giving rise to future alien civilisation.
Question 12: Why could The Singularity put an end to humans?
A. Because A.I. might imitate human intelligence.
B. Because A.I. is similar to human intelligence.
C. Because A.I. will exceed human intelligence.
Question 13: What does Kurzweil say about technologies?
A. Technologies are avoidable.
B. Technologies are safe and friendly.
C. Technologies are double-edged swords.
Question 14: Why does Kurzweil hope for the coming of The Singularity?
A. Because it would have economic advantages.
B. Because life could be extended
C. Because human would have virtual entertainment.
Question 15: How does Kurzweil respond to critics of his theories
A. He thinks that they do not evaluate correctly the rapid growth of technology.
B. He thinks that the realisation of genuine artificial intelligence is a challenge.
C. He thinks that future events cannot be predicted with our current mean.