Biotechnology…How dare you!!!
Well!!!
"Biotechnology" does not need a definition really; it is the use of biology "Bio" in the all disciplines of science or "technology". Biotechnology is used in all parts and sciences of life; it is used in drug industry, medicine, agriculture, waste treatment, pollution management, recycling, land treatment, water & air purification...etc.
African countries have been using biotechnology for quite some time. Some of the main applications in Africa is agriculture, waste treatment and in some countries medicine too. Thus, a lot of conferences and meeting will be held in 2011 if you want to know more about biotechnological applications in Africa.
Some of the conference that will be held in 2011:
Ethiopia: The International Conference and Exhibition on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa: Fostering Innovation --13-15 May in Addis Ababa (http://www.issdet.org/)
South Africa: the Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference 2011 (ABIC 2011) --6-9 September 2011, Johannesburg, South Africa (http://www.abic2011.co.za/ )
Egypt: The 1st Cairo University International Biotechnology Innovation Conference (IBIC-Egypt) --21-23 November 2011, Cairo, Egypt (http://www.ibic-egypt.com/)
In my opinion, biotechnology is the answer to all our problems. But you will find someone fighting it by saying "biotechnology will curse us...it is only good for creating mutant animals, clones, freakish food and artificial body parts ...oh no, we will be damned.... How dare you" !!!
No one can deny that ancient sciences were fought but afterwards it was proven to be good and not against any belief. It is really okay for you to say that "Earth is round not flat" and it is also okay to say "Venus revolves around the sun and not the Earth"...Right ?
Well...one day it wasn't okay!!!
We all read in the history what happened with Galileo and Da Vinci. But we all say this don't and can't happen now, we are open-minded. But when it comes to artificial life, creating body parts and using stem cell technology, there is always debate and concern !?!?!
If you feel that you have any problem with any new technology, I suggest you go and take a postgraduate degree in bioethics from West African Bioethics Training Program in Nigeria, before you start doubting anything, Link:
(http://www.westafricanbioethics.net/wabcms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=60)
I -for one- don't have any problem with stem cell research, artificial life or replacement body parts. I consider these innovations major leaps to the future because they are bright discoveries that will carry a lot of hope to humankind.
It is really funny!!!
We are in 2011 and still living the "How dare you!" scenario.
Image Credit by JFantasy via Wikimedia Commons
you are right Radwa, we can't just stop anything because we fear someone will misuse it. we have ethical guidlines that we follow in anything we do.
we should have good faith in science and let the innovations and discoveries flow through :)))
Well, I am struggling to study a PhD in Biotechnology, I don't consider it harmful like others say, it's a beautiful creation that will allow us to help millions with no hope in life, like cancer patients or handicapped people , why not? I know that it could be used in immoral way, but yet, we can't stop believing in it!!!
Funnily, I work on plants when you can do whatever you want without any problem, we can't imagine our lives without Biotechnology, disease resistant plants , higher yields , and new cultivars that we never tasted before in our countries :)
In my opinion, anything could be used the bad and the good way.. so we cant just stop it.
