Seeds of Science: How We Got It So Wrong on GMOs

Science writer Lynas (Nuclear 2.0) relates his personal journey from anti-GMO activist to outspoken proponent of genetically modified foods in this thoughtful examination of the issue. Although he makes a forceful case that activism against GMO products is misguided at best and disingenuous at worst (citing a campaign in Uganda that used photoshopped images of mutated children), Lynas is at his most powerful discussing the struggle between science and ideology. He describes his intellectual transformation when he decided to survey scientific opinion and discovered many reputable institutions that supported the genetic modification of food sources, terming this period “my own personal Enlightenment.” As the evidence for the safety of GMOs became increasingly convincing to him, Lynas found he had a personal choice to make: “I could betray my friends, or I could betray my conscience.” Lynas observes that the debate has very real consequences for people and the environment, criticizing NGOs for limiting access to GMOs for farmers in developing areas that lack food security. He also charges activists with inadvertently increasing pesticide usage, declaring, “When ideology trumps science... the environment is harmed, people get sick, and some even die.” His book will be thought-provoking reading for anyone interested in this contentious public health question. (June)