WHAT IS BIOTECH

“What is biotech?” is a question many people are asking today and is a heated discussion among many activists. Biotech can be referred to the use of biology and technology combined to accomplish its result. This can include managing pest problems by supplementing soils and organisms together. There are four main subfields of biotech that most uses fit under; green, blue, white, and red.

Green biotech refers to growth and plants. Although this type of biotech is the oldest form used by humans, it is the most contested sector of biotechnological growth. Modifying plants genetically to produce desired effects is one of the biggest uses today. This occurs because farmers want a big crop yield and are burdened by pests. They need food crops that won’t be affected by the pesticides. Many of the people that oppose this type of biotechnology believe that the altered crops may pose a risk to the health of consumers.

Blue biotech refers to aquatic uses of biotechnology. This form of biotechnology is still rare and not used often.

The primary focus of white biotech is the use of biological organisms to manipulate or produce things in a way that is beneficial to mankind. One example of a use of white biotech is the use of bacteria to clean up an oil spill. Bacteria can consume the oil. Cleaning a contaminated environment with bacteria is a favored use of white biotech.

Red biotech is used in the medical industry sometimes creating substances for medical use or to aid the body in fighting a disease or illness. Yeasts and bacteria may be modified genetically to create drugs. This is the most common use of the red biotech. If red biotech did not exist, neither would certain drugs like penicillin. A new use of the red biotech is the manipulation of a person’s genome in hopes to cure a disease.

In order to accomplish something using biology and technology answers “what is biotech?“. The use of our natural organisms on the planet including bacteria has made phenomenal discoveries and treatments through biotechnology. The science is advancing every day with new discoveries.