Biotechnology

Another way to adapt to a changing climate is to develop plants and animals that are hardier and more resilient. Enter genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Strictly speaking, the very process of domesticating wild plants and animals for use in human agriculture was a form of genetic modification, and modern GMOs continue that tradition. However, genetic modification these days differs from selective breeding in that DNA composition can be changed directly in laboratories using biotechnological processes. This makes GMOs controversial, as they seem to do away with natural processes altogether, the possible consequences of which are not yet fully known. “Organic” has recently become a buzzword in supermarkets to advertise produce that is not genetically modified.