Science maintains a never-ending process of moving forward. Biology has been no exception to this advancement, and today there are things being done that would have never been thought possible just a few years ago.
It's worth noting before we go any further that these developments would have been impossible without technological advances working in concert with the direct research. The development of sampling techniques, laboratory processes, and biorepository storage facilities have paved the way for researchers to delve into the possibilities presented in living things.
With that said, biological advances of recent decades have covered several major areas.
DNA Sequencing And Mapping
Arguably the most impactful of these has been the world of DNA research. The ability to map and compare the genes of two different organisms has had an unbelievable effect on the world. We can now identify people who are at an increased risk of certain types of diseases, possibly helping them through preventive treatments. We can trace the lineage of animals on one continent to animals on another continent. Law enforcement can acquire tiny bits of tissue from a crime scene and use it to identify a murderer or thief. The list goes on and on.
The impact of these connections goes far beyond family trees or paternity suits, of course. We can manage all kinds of health threats to both plants and animals by understanding their DNA. For example, the American chestnut tree was rendered nearly extinct by a disease outbreak decades ago. Its cousin, the Chinese chestnut, is immune. A development process has created a new, immune American chestnut that could prove valuable for timber, food, and erosion control, all thanks to DNA technology.
Stem Cells
As of now, this area has perhaps the most unexplored potential. We know a great deal about the use of these special cells for reversing genetic disorders and curing diseases long considered hopeless.
Of course, stem cell research remains very controversial. Anti-abortion groups have been concerned since the earliest days of the research with whether these developments could ever create a demand for aborted human fetuses. In time, the development of cord blood banking and other processes has helped to ease these fears, but they could always re-emerge if new opportunities steer scientists back toward the origin of these cells.
Hence, science is not the only limiting factor in the development of stem cell technology. Regulation and the court of public opinion will have a lot to say about where it goes.
Genetically-Modified Crops
Another area of considerable debate is genetic modification. This process is essentially a fast-forwarding of the development of plant breeds. What used to take years and years to create through a painstaking process of managing pollination, establishing new offspring, and repeating can now be done relatively quickly in a laboratory.
Concerns exist about whether these foods are safe to eat, and despite considerable research confirming that they are, there is reason to be alert to the risk of a narrowing of the genetic pool for crops. For example, if every farmer in the world is growing one of five or six different varieties of corn, a new disease could emerge that would attack those limited types and could have a huge impact on world harvest levels. As a result, scientists are operating storehouses of seed to maintain the genetic base for new varieties.
An ever-growing world population and the desire to keep it healthy and well-fed is driving research that has made it possible to do things no one dared dream a generation ago.
by Jane Brown
