Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a powerful, controversial and critical topic dealing with disease, genetics, and the use of microorganisms or other biological substances to make industrial or manufacturing processes. Biotechnology has spawned many new ideas and discoveries to benefit society. It plays a part in healing the sick with antibiotics and vaccines, hybridization in plants to produce bigger and more desirable food crops, sterilization of food goods and equipment, and understanding genetics and reproduction. Although biotechnology offers humankind many great opportunities, it can also be very destructive and deadly. Since the beginning of man, many biological means have been used to fight wars. The Romans fouled their enemies' water; the Tartars used bubonic plague to infect their war opponents and the British spread smallpox to the Indians in North America. These diseases are just a few of the highly toxic microorganisms involved in one of the negative sides of this complex! technology. Other objectionable uses of biotechnology include unethical genetic alterations, and the overuse and malpractice of antibiotics which can induce bacterial resistance to many diseases making them difficult to cure. Biological technology has in
(http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~jbrown/antibiotic.html) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_163000/163997.stm) Although biological technology can be used to wipe out whole populations it is mostly an incredible and advantageous science. It has saved lives, shown us ways to expand our economics, opened doors for learning, helped us meet goals and given us hope. Biological technology is a powerful science of life and we still have lots to learn, therefore we must strive to make thoughtful choices, and take sensible, lucid actions to secure and protect man into the new millenium. The Hanta virus is another agent used in warfare. It causes capillaries to leak blood, which results in organ failure. Ebola is probably causes the worst suffering of all biological war weapons. It is a hemorrhagic fever, which is characterized by fever, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. It then progresses to vomiting, diarrhea, rash, limited kidney and liver function and internal and external bleeding. Biological Warfare Threat Analysis. USA. 1997. These operate by stopping the formation of intracellular bacterial molecules (DNA, RNA, ribosomes and proteins) or by damaging the bacterium's cell wall causing its organelles to leak out, thus destroying them (Brown). Antibiotics are also used in agriculture; cattle and other livestock are often given antibiotics to aid growth. Antibiotics can help locate cancerous growths in the body, aid in preventing rejection of organ donations, offer new methods for cancer treatment and are also used in special pregnancy tests. Regenscheid, Andy. The Anthrax Page. 1998. Other benefits of this critical technology have been applied through industries and environmental science. It is used to mine uranium and copper in a process called dump leaching. To do this, the mineral containing substance is moved from the mining site to an area or slope covered with asphalt or clay to prevent contamination. It is then sprayed with acid water providing a perfect habitat for the growth of certain bacteria such as T. ferrooxidans. To live this bacteria must eat metal compounds in the rock. During this action, the bacteria release the useful metal, which can then be separated and stored for later use.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Brown Antibiotics, Nazi's Jews, Louis Pasteur, Black Death, , Gross Biotechnology's, North America, Congo Africa, Regenscheid Hanta, Nicolas App, biological warfare, bubonic plague, biological technology, synthetic compounds, caused microbes, highly toxic, bacterial resistance, genetic engineering, genetic information,
Approximate Word count = 1929
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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