172 - Genetic Modification - One Minute History

Genetic Modification (GM) is the process of altering the genetic material in an organism by introducing changes to its DNA. In 1973 researchers Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen successfully inserted a foreign gene into a bacterium. By the 1980s, plants like Tomatoes and Tobacco became the first to be genetically Modified. The 'Flavr Savr' tomato became the first commercially sold GM crop in 1994 and by the late 90s Genetically Modified fruits and vegetables were common on grocery shelves. Developers focused on traits such as insect and herbicide tolerant attributes as well as a larger size and yield. Aside from agriculture, Genetic Modification is also commonly used in medicine and biotechnology to develop pharmaceuticals and gene therapies. Although there are many benefits, there are growing societal and ethical concerns surrounding the use and limits of Genetic Modification.