Week 6: BioTech & Art

Our lives are essentially living proofs that the unification of biotechnology and art results in the advancement of humanity. Furthermore, this combination of biotech and art ultimately shows the creativity that humans are capable of.

First of all, even when it comes to the food we consume, humans have come close to mastering the art of processed foods. Specifically, we are partaking in this culmination of art and biotechnology everytime we make those late night runs to the nearby Golden Arches for some 20-piece chicken nuggets and large fries. According to the Guardian article, whether it's the machines that physically make the "pink slime" that goes in the meat or the biotechnology that goes behind synthesizing GMO foods like potatoes for the fries, it is evident that the marriage of biotechnology and art play a huge role in the consumption of food in our everyday lives.

(The "pink slime" that is thought to be inside Mcdonald's meat) 

Moreover, there is a lot of debate as to whether GMO foods are actually good for humanity. On one hand, the genetically modified foods are actually thought to be have the capability to end world hunger while on the other hand, may have lasting effects on the health in the long-term. A prime example of a GMO food in the US is corn, which allows it to be grown in masses; however, if a disease that the corn is not resistant to comes along, the entire crop can in fact die.

(Corn, an example of a common GMO crop in the US)

On another note, biotechnology and art is seen in an example from Eduardo Kac, a famous artist and professor. He is known to have created what is known as a "GFP Bunny" named Alba, which is in fact a green fluorescent bunny. Through the use of biotechnology, a once albino bunny was essentially mutated synthetically with EGFP, an original wild-type green fluorescent gene found in a jellyfish. While biotechnology and art are seen somewhat indirectly in the processed foods we consume, this is a direct example of how the intricacies of life on this earth can play a role in a simple art form. 

(A picture of Eduardo Kac and his "albino" bunny, Alba) 

Images Cited

Kac, Eduardo. “GFP BUNNY.” NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ENIGMA, 2000, www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor.

“Pink Slime at McDonald's, America's Meat Epidemic [Report].” Fast Food Geek, 9 Feb. 2012, fastfoodgeek.com/restaurants/mcdonalds/pink-slime-at-mcdonalds-americas-meat-epidemic-report/.

“What Is Non-GMO? What Are Genetically Modified Foods?” The Organic & Non-GMO Report, non-gmoreport.com/what-is-non-gmo-what-are-genetically-modified-foods/.

References

Aciman, Alexander. “Go Ahead. Eat Pink Slime.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 June 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/06/06/opinion/go-ahead-eat-pink-slime.html.

Brody, Jane E. “Are G.M.O. Foods Safe?” The New York Times, The New York Times, 23 Apr. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/04/23/well/eat/are-gmo-foods-safe.html.

Gunther, Marc. “McDonald's GMO Dilemma: Why Fries Are Causing Such a Fuss.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 4 Dec. 2013, www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/mcdonalds-fries-innate-potato-genetically-modified-food.

Kac, Eduardo. “GFP BUNNY.” NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ENIGMA, 2000, www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html#gfpbunnyanchor.

Stutz, Bruce. “Wanted: GM Seeds for Study.” Seed Magazine, 13 May 2018, seedmagazine.com/content/article/wanted_gm_seeds_for_study/.