It is best understood that artificial selection is a contrast to natural selection. Unlike natural selection, which animals survive and reproduce isn't random. Individuals select desirable traits and combine them to create what they think is 'ideal'. After reading and learning about the capability of humans and technology, it seems we've conquered them all. Artificial selection is generally performed on agriculture and a variety of the fruits and vegetables we consume today derived from a single plant a long time ago. An example of artificial selection in vegetables is the chili pepper. Chili peppers have been cultivated and bred into the range of spices, tastes, shapes and colours available today. Artificial selection is largely debated about today as humans are discovering more and more ways to interfere with the evolution of a species or population.
In my opinion, artificial selection in plants is perfectly acceptable as long as nothing living is harmed in the process. Considering the wide variety of plants existing, the idea of humans modifying certain characteristics of a vegetable or fruit is revolutionary. The tasks of plant breeders and farmers have become easier as crops and plants now require low maintenance since most have a high resistance to cold temperatures and even viruses. For example, a hybrid plant that thrives throughout Mexico known as "guayule" has successfully taken its resistance to cold temperatures from its relatives. As well, some types of okra have taken resistance to the most serious plant disease through the crossing of two other edible plants. Undoubtedly, artificial selection in plants is a positive innovation and is beneficial for both humans and plants.
However, I have a different standpoint on artificial selection with animals. Similar to the previous blog topic on designers babies, humans manipulating the genes of any living creature to make it "perfect" is inhumane, promotes superficiality and discourages the natural way of life. It is common today that livestock such as pigs, cows and chickens are artificially enhanced and bred so they are able to provide farmers with more meat or milk. With such advantages, we can easily oversee the side effects. Artificially bred species will all have the same probability of survival and vulnerability to diseases and illnesses can be easily passed down onto generations.
This is an interesting video on how a Japanese myth emerged from artificial selection that occurred hundreds of years ago.
Even though I object artificial selection in animals, it is inevitable that it has existed for a very long time and will continue to in the future. It is also undeniable that artificial selection has actually improved our lives and sustains our large population. The capability of humans continues to be under-estimated and as incredible as artificial selection may be and as much as it has done for us, I don't believe artificially breeding living organisms is acceptable under any circumstances.
Works Cited:
MACROEVOLUTION: Hybrid Plants and Artificial Selection
http://www.macroevolution.net/hybrid-plants.html
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES - Artificial Selection: Creating the Perfect Pet
http://www.calacademy.org/science/sia/2009/07/artificial-selection-creating-the-perfect-pet/
LIFE SCIENCE: Artificial Selection at Work
http://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/session5/closer1.html
Artificial Selection
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/lines/IVAartselection.shtml
VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JCx5e8ZeYM&feature=related
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Designer Babies
“Designer babies”, a playful spinoff of the word “designer clothing”, is a term that originated from the media. It is used to describe the future of genetics and how scientists are now capable of manipulating a child’s DNA according to the parents’ preferences. This new innovation was first introduced a decade ago when parents were able to determine a baby’s sex before conceiving them, but has since advanced immensely. As most would agree, this practice of gene-altering in unborn children is unethical, but perhaps we are overlooking some of the positive effects it can have on our population. "Designer babies" is a controversial topic that has many debating whether the benefit of eliminating disorders in newborn babies is worth surrendering our ethical beliefs.
"Designer babies" are centered on superficiality and opposes the acceptance of flaws. Giving parents the choice to ‘design’ their babies is immoral and goes against our values. Without a doubt, babies are living, breathing humans with countless emotions - not objects. Diversity should be embraced rather than corrected. If couples were offered to 'design' their child's looks, it only encourages people to become more obsessed with appearance, rather than taking what they were given and making the best of it.
Despite the reasons above as to why "designer babies" are negative, I researched and discovered that they can supposedly serve usefully in our society. This practice can put an end to disorders or diseases appearing during the development of newborn children. If we can genetically modify an unborn baby, we can remove any potential chromosome disorders such as Down syndrome, Klinfelter syndrome and Turner syndrome. An article on TIMESONLINE tells the remarkable story of how a mother who had a cancer-ridden gene and was able to give birth to a healthy child. This was the first designer baby to beat breast cancer.
Designer babies have also served as an inspiration for inventions such as invitro fertilization, the process of injecting male sperm into the female embryo without sexual contact. Certainly, this gave pregnancy a whole new meaning. Invitro fertilization acts as a substitute for females who are unable to bear children.
A CBS News segment featuring two doctors and researchers debating whether designer babies is an ethical innovation or not.
Though eliminating illnesses and disorders in newborn children can be a remarkable feat, those who have such illnesses are not considered any less 'human' than any of us. I've seen people with down syndrome have a stable career and education. I'm not implying that people with an illness is a fortunate thing, but it's not completely devastating either. It teaches our society compassion and to not take life for granted. We don't need gene-altering, we need an open mind to realize that they can be perfectly capable of leading a life that we've living.
In conclusion, I believe "designer babies" corrupts our society’s view on imperfection and certainly sends a bad message. Parents shouldn't be given the option to alter their child's looks but they should be appreciative with what their child and themselves were gifted with.
Works Cited
TimesOnline: First Designer Babies to Beat Breast Cancer
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article1706614.ece
Bionet: Design a Baby?
http://www.bionetonline.org/English/content/db_cont1.htm
VIDEO: CBS News: Designer Babies?
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4840229n&tag=related;photovideo
"Designer babies" are centered on superficiality and opposes the acceptance of flaws. Giving parents the choice to ‘design’ their babies is immoral and goes against our values. Without a doubt, babies are living, breathing humans with countless emotions - not objects. Diversity should be embraced rather than corrected. If couples were offered to 'design' their child's looks, it only encourages people to become more obsessed with appearance, rather than taking what they were given and making the best of it.
Despite the reasons above as to why "designer babies" are negative, I researched and discovered that they can supposedly serve usefully in our society. This practice can put an end to disorders or diseases appearing during the development of newborn children. If we can genetically modify an unborn baby, we can remove any potential chromosome disorders such as Down syndrome, Klinfelter syndrome and Turner syndrome. An article on TIMESONLINE tells the remarkable story of how a mother who had a cancer-ridden gene and was able to give birth to a healthy child. This was the first designer baby to beat breast cancer.
Designer babies have also served as an inspiration for inventions such as invitro fertilization, the process of injecting male sperm into the female embryo without sexual contact. Certainly, this gave pregnancy a whole new meaning. Invitro fertilization acts as a substitute for females who are unable to bear children.
A CBS News segment featuring two doctors and researchers debating whether designer babies is an ethical innovation or not.
Though eliminating illnesses and disorders in newborn children can be a remarkable feat, those who have such illnesses are not considered any less 'human' than any of us. I've seen people with down syndrome have a stable career and education. I'm not implying that people with an illness is a fortunate thing, but it's not completely devastating either. It teaches our society compassion and to not take life for granted. We don't need gene-altering, we need an open mind to realize that they can be perfectly capable of leading a life that we've living.
In conclusion, I believe "designer babies" corrupts our society’s view on imperfection and certainly sends a bad message. Parents shouldn't be given the option to alter their child's looks but they should be appreciative with what their child and themselves were gifted with.
Works Cited
TimesOnline: First Designer Babies to Beat Breast Cancer
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article1706614.ece
Bionet: Design a Baby?
http://www.bionetonline.org/English/content/db_cont1.htm
VIDEO: CBS News: Designer Babies?
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4840229n&tag=related;photovideo
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Humans as Stewards of the World?
Today, there is a an estimated number of 7 billion people inhabiting planet Earth with the number rapidly increasing each year. The human species continues to be the most dominant and as some might consider, invasive. As our population experiences exponential growth, urbanization advances, gradually destroying our ecosystem. Whether it's negative or positive, humans and our planet undergo change and development. As new technology is introduced to bring ease into our daily lives, our planet suffers the negative aftermath of our demands. Evidently, planet Earth has become a victim of our greed and carelessness.
Humans abuse their title as "stewards of the world" and mindlessly contribute to the destruction of the Earth. In my opinion, humans cannot be considered stewards of the earth as proven by the depletion of glaciers, endangerment of species, extreme temperatures and water and air pollution. Human impact is devastating the planet in an irreversible manner. To illustrate our negative effects on the environment much clearer, imagine a domino chain; one irresponsible action can be much more harmful and disruptive towards the environment:
Leaving an unoccupied light on for a long period of time ---> powerplant generates more energy, emitting air pollution ---> pollution rises and is trapped in the ozone layer ---> Heat from the sun is trapped in the pollution-filled ozone layer, making temperatures warmer than usual ---> glaciers melt due to the climate change ---> arctic polar bears are endangered because they lose their habitat
We were supposedly appointed "stewards of the Earth" but our population has grown to abuse the resources we were given and take more than we need regardless of the Earth's inability to adapt. As mentioned in the reaction chain, one of the many indications that humans are putting Earth at stake is the decline in the population of arctic polar bears. The sea ice that act as the bears' hunting and breeding grounds are melting. Certainly, global warming has taken its toll on the Arctic region, one of the few places that'll display the effects of climate change early. According to WWF, air temperatures in the Arctic have risen 5ºC in the last 100 years. This significant increase will produce more precipitation that will melt the snow that the seals inhabit. The loss of the polar bear's primary prey and habitat will make them vulnerable to extinction.
”For every week earlier that break-up occurs in the Hudson Bay, bears will come ashore roughly 10kg lighter and thus in poorer condition. With reproductive success tied closely to body condition, if temperatures continue to rise in response to increases in greenhouse gas emissions and the sea ice melts for longer periods, polar bear numbers will be reduced in the southern portions of their range and may even become locally extinct.”
Dr. Ian Stirling, Polar Bear Scientist
It is apparent that not only has the species' population declined, but the remaining polar bears are struggling to survive. Warmer temperatures is causing the sea ice to become thinner as well as melting earlier in spring and forming later in autumn. According to WWF, the thickness of the sea ice in the summer season has dramatically decreased by 40% over the course of the last 30 years. This poses a threat to polar bears as the period in which they use to catch prey and prepare fasting during the warmer months is shortening. The lack of nourishment and nutrition lowers the bear's immune system and survival rate. Female bears are also less likely to reproduce as a result of malnutrition.
In addition to global warming, pollution and oil spills also affect polar bears. Since they are at the top of the food chain and consume an abundance of creatures, their bodies collect alot of pesticides that accumulate in their prey. Oil spills in the ocean where the polar bears swim dirty their fur coats. The oil is able to prevent the bear from getting proper insulation and as a result, die. It has been observed that polar bears sometimes try to cleanse their fur by licking the oil off, causing kidney failure.
Undoubtedly, the human species continue to endanger the planet. The polar bears are only one of the many species in danger of extinction. Our ecological footprints are so massive, that I believe what we've done is almost impossible to reverse--but we can always improve. Improving our living patterns altogether may or may not have a lasting effect on our planet. Humans have also grown very ignorant in the past decades; a majority of us are aware of our negative impact on the environment yet only a fraction respond to the crisis. In my opinion, our generation has certainly failed as "stewards of the world".
Works Cited
World Wildlife Foundation, Vanishing Kingdom, the Melting Realm of the Polar Bear
http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/Publications/WWFBinaryitem4928.pdf
World Wildlife Foundation, Climate: Impact and Adaptations
http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/impactsandadaptation.html
National Geographic: Human Impact: Ozone and Pollution
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/ozone/ozone.html
Wikipedia: Polar Bears
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear
VIDEO: National Geographic: State of Polar Bears
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/threats-to-animals-environment/polar-bears.html
PHOTO: National Geographic
Humans abuse their title as "stewards of the world" and mindlessly contribute to the destruction of the Earth. In my opinion, humans cannot be considered stewards of the earth as proven by the depletion of glaciers, endangerment of species, extreme temperatures and water and air pollution. Human impact is devastating the planet in an irreversible manner. To illustrate our negative effects on the environment much clearer, imagine a domino chain; one irresponsible action can be much more harmful and disruptive towards the environment:
Leaving an unoccupied light on for a long period of time ---> powerplant generates more energy, emitting air pollution ---> pollution rises and is trapped in the ozone layer ---> Heat from the sun is trapped in the pollution-filled ozone layer, making temperatures warmer than usual ---> glaciers melt due to the climate change ---> arctic polar bears are endangered because they lose their habitat
We were supposedly appointed "stewards of the Earth" but our population has grown to abuse the resources we were given and take more than we need regardless of the Earth's inability to adapt. As mentioned in the reaction chain, one of the many indications that humans are putting Earth at stake is the decline in the population of arctic polar bears. The sea ice that act as the bears' hunting and breeding grounds are melting. Certainly, global warming has taken its toll on the Arctic region, one of the few places that'll display the effects of climate change early. According to WWF, air temperatures in the Arctic have risen 5ºC in the last 100 years. This significant increase will produce more precipitation that will melt the snow that the seals inhabit. The loss of the polar bear's primary prey and habitat will make them vulnerable to extinction.
”For every week earlier that break-up occurs in the Hudson Bay, bears will come ashore roughly 10kg lighter and thus in poorer condition. With reproductive success tied closely to body condition, if temperatures continue to rise in response to increases in greenhouse gas emissions and the sea ice melts for longer periods, polar bear numbers will be reduced in the southern portions of their range and may even become locally extinct.”
Dr. Ian Stirling, Polar Bear Scientist
It is apparent that not only has the species' population declined, but the remaining polar bears are struggling to survive. Warmer temperatures is causing the sea ice to become thinner as well as melting earlier in spring and forming later in autumn. According to WWF, the thickness of the sea ice in the summer season has dramatically decreased by 40% over the course of the last 30 years. This poses a threat to polar bears as the period in which they use to catch prey and prepare fasting during the warmer months is shortening. The lack of nourishment and nutrition lowers the bear's immune system and survival rate. Female bears are also less likely to reproduce as a result of malnutrition.
In addition to global warming, pollution and oil spills also affect polar bears. Since they are at the top of the food chain and consume an abundance of creatures, their bodies collect alot of pesticides that accumulate in their prey. Oil spills in the ocean where the polar bears swim dirty their fur coats. The oil is able to prevent the bear from getting proper insulation and as a result, die. It has been observed that polar bears sometimes try to cleanse their fur by licking the oil off, causing kidney failure.
Undoubtedly, the human species continue to endanger the planet. The polar bears are only one of the many species in danger of extinction. Our ecological footprints are so massive, that I believe what we've done is almost impossible to reverse--but we can always improve. Improving our living patterns altogether may or may not have a lasting effect on our planet. Humans have also grown very ignorant in the past decades; a majority of us are aware of our negative impact on the environment yet only a fraction respond to the crisis. In my opinion, our generation has certainly failed as "stewards of the world".
Works Cited
World Wildlife Foundation, Vanishing Kingdom, the Melting Realm of the Polar Bear
http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/Publications/WWFBinaryitem4928.pdf
World Wildlife Foundation, Climate: Impact and Adaptations
http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/impactsandadaptation.html
National Geographic: Human Impact: Ozone and Pollution
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eye/ozone/ozone.html
Wikipedia: Polar Bears
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear
VIDEO: National Geographic: State of Polar Bears
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/threats-to-animals-environment/polar-bears.html
PHOTO: National Geographic
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