The Benefits Of Genetic Engineering

First of all, genetic engineering is going to have a huge, beneficial impact on the medical world. Forbes Magazine states that, “Using genetic engineering, we have accumulated a large body of knowledge on how cells and organisms function, and understanding these basic processes of biology is a way to understand the causes of human disease, and the opportunities to find new ways to cure diseases or improve human health.” The cures created because of genetic engineering can bring the sufferings of millions of diseased people to an end. Scientists could also use the knowledge gained from genetic engineering research to make current disease treatments cheaper and more accessible to the average person. In addition, as we begin to understand the

As genetic engineering grows, we can expect to see it influence every aspect of human life. According to The Conversation, “Gene editing has the potential to delay or arrest aging.” We could use gene editing to achieve immortality for the human race. Imagine how it would feel to live forever! Or, we could use gene editing to make super dogs for the police force, as said by NBC.com. These dogs could help catch a criminal, or find a lost person by tracking his or her scent over a long distance. The same website also describes how gene editing can be used to make alternatives to fossil fuels. It writes, “In a recent study, scientists edited genes of a yeast that converts sugars into fats and oils that can be used in the place of petroleum.” We could eradicate oil spills, which are extremely damaging to the environment. Also, the US would no longer be economically dependent on oil imports. And since petroleum is a rapidly dwindling resource, these fats and oils could save the US and other countries from oil shortages. NBC.com also adds that, “scientists are looking into how CRISPR can help engineer crops and livestock impervious to drought, pests, weeds, and spoilage during shipping.” We could distribute these genetically engineered plants and their seeds to poor countries, making food more accessible and ending human hunger forever. See a common theme here? Many of society’s problems can be solved by genetic engineering. If the government encourages genetic engineering research, the whole of America and the world will experience countless benefits in the next few decades. Genetic engineering promises to revolutionize our world, and the government should not let the opportunities it presents pass by. There are those, however, that would say that as genetic engineering is used more, it will also be used more in unethical ways. This is true in some cases, including