Is genetic engineering different to traditional crossbreeding?
Genetic engineering is completely different from traditional crossbreeding. Whereas in traditional breeding methods organisms are bred within the same species, in genetic engineering genes are forced to move across species. This sort of manipulation has resulted in such things as toad genes inserted in potatoes, scorpion genes in corns and even human genes forced into pigs and into rice. By inventing new life-forms in this way chemical companies hope to find new and profitable uses for living things – to alter nature to better suit the needs of industry.
