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GM Food Zone – Open to questions – Open to all
This event has now ended
GM foods have been hitting headlines again recently. Debate has become argument and positions have become entrenched leaving people without clear balanced information about the issues, and few places to have constructive discussions.
![Wheat Field [E-X-P-L-O-R-E-D]](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2660/3715569167_7e978e8319.jpg "Wheat Field [E-X-P-L-O-R-E-D]")
Creative Commons License Kevin Lallier via Compfight
You need to register to ask a question or leave a comment. You can register via Facebook or by completing the registration form if you prefer.
We’ll take questions from June 18th and start publishing them on Monday June 25th. The final day for questions will be Friday 6th July.
GM Food Zone Report
We've been wanting to expand the I’m a Scientist format and allow the general public to participate, and the hysteria generated over the Rothamsted GM Wheat trials in May 2012 presented us with the opportunity to run a GM Food Zone.
You can view the report here.
- Would you consider square watermelons as genetically-modified? What are the advantages and disadvantages to watermelons
- How does the money spent on GM research in the UK compare to that spent on other new farming techniques?
- Do you think infertile GM seeds are a bad thing because even though they could help prevent contamination they would (4 Comments)
- This may sound silly but why does selective breeding and genetically modifying animals harm them?!?!? (7 Comments)
- If GM foods become commonplace, will our digestive systems need to adapt at all, to process patterns of DNA that have (1 Comment)
- As far as you know, have there been any studies investigating the almost-doubling of autistic-spectrum disorders in (1 Comment)
- I have many concerns about GM but the greatest are: 1. The potential effects on ecosystems by way of altering the (3 Comments)
- Is it true that cows have been genetically engineered to make human milk? Why is this a benefit to us? Is cows milk not (1 Comment)
- How can the supporters of GM technology communicate their opinion better to a wider audience rather than just those who (2 Comments)
- Will the rules on Genetic modification, and even cloning be loosened in the next few decades? For example will GM crops (1 Comment)
- Quite a general question: The GM debate (in mainstream media) has been one that has spanned nearly my entire life so (5 Comments)
- Scientists are political animals too. ¿For the sake of debate is it better to keep out the political aspect of the GMO (4 Comments)
- silly question, but will the genetically modified food be more or less or the same price and cost as normal food? (6 Comments)
- Is there any common ground? What can you all agree on?
- In some countries GM technology is used and there is very little opposition from the public. (Whether this is due to (4 Comments)
- What new ideas are currently being researched by genetic scientists? (10 Comments)
- As nothing in science is 100% certain, what steps can be taken to gather high quality evidence of effectiveness (or (2 Comments)
- How can we tell if something we buy in the shops has been genetically modified or not? (4 Comments)
- By genetically modifying food, is it possible to increase the shelf life of food without having to use artificial (6 Comments)
- do you think that there may be unkown side affects with GMfood? (15 Comments)
Recent Comments
- This may sound silly but why does selective breeding and genetically modifying animals harm them?!?!? (7 comments)
- If GM foods become commonplace, will our digestive systems need to adapt at all, to process patterns of DNA that have (1 comments)
- Do you think infertile GM seeds are a bad thing because even though they could help prevent contamination they would (4 comments)
- "let’s celebrate the inherently political nature of science" (3 comments)
- As far as you know, have there been any studies investigating the almost-doubling of autistic-spectrum disorders in (1 comments)
- How much data would you say would be enough data to support arguments for or against the use of particular GM (1 comments)
- I have many concerns about GM but the greatest are: 1. The potential effects on ecosystems by way of altering the (3 comments)
- Will the rules on Genetic modification, and even cloning be loosened in the next few decades? For example will GM crops (1 comments)
- Is it true that cows have been genetically engineered to make human milk? Why is this a benefit to us? Is cows milk not (1 comments)
- How can the supporters of GM technology communicate their opinion better to a wider audience rather than just those who (2 comments)
House Rules
We have a set of house rules that we all need to abide by. In short those rules are:
- 1. Don’t be offensive – no personal insults (play the ball, not the person), or language likely to offend or disadvantage people – this includes racism, sexism, homophobia and ableism.
- 2. Please try to keep on topic. ‘On topic’ can be quite broad – this is an issue with many facets – but if we let it be extended infinitely we’d all be here forever. All sorts of questions from how GM works to the economics of grain production in sub-saharan Africa may be relevant. ‘Why is the sky blue?’ is not.
- 3. Questions and comments are moderated before being posted. We will moderate according to this set of house rules. We will not censor views and opinion, as long as it’s polite and reasonable.
- 4. If you ask a question which has already been asked, there’s no point the experts answering it again, so we’ll just add your name to the earlier question, and send you a link to the answers.
- 5. We want this to be a balanced discussion but in the end it is our site and as the publishers, we are legally liable for what we publish. We’re the ones who get sued if it’s libellous, so we have the final say on whether something gets published.
- Are the experts biased?
- How do I register?
- Is this "fluffy pro-GM PR"?
- What can I do on this site?
- What is this site for?
- What's this Advisory Panel thing?
- Why are you doing this?
- Why hasn't my question been published?
- Why is no-one from Rothamsted taking part in this event?
- Why isn't the group of experts balanced?
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