RESPOND TO THESE STUDENTS POST Victoria post 75 words post In 1946, scientists first discovered that DNA can be transferred between organisms. It is now known that there are several mechanisms for DNA transfer and that these occur in nature on a large scale, for example, it is a major mechanism for antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. The first genetically modified plant was produced in 1983, using an antibiotic-resistant tobacco plant (Bawa, & Anilakumar, 2013). Genetically modified food organisms are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. This creates combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and virus genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods (“GMO Facts,” 2016). Many argue that GMOs can cause environmental damage and health problems for consumers. This is because genetically modified foods have been linked to toxic and allergic reactions, sickness, sterile and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals. While researching this topic, I found a lot of scientific evidence available to illustrate the effects of the health hazards caused by genetically modified food organisms. “Many scientific data indicate that animals fed by GM crops have been harmed or even died. One example reported had rats exposed to transgenic potatoes or soya had abnormal young sperm; cows, goats, buffalo, pigs and other livestock grazing on Bt-maize, GM cottonseed and certain biotech corn showed complications including early deliveries, abortions, infertility and also many died” (Maghari, & Ardekani, 2011). Another issue is that new proteins can be synthesized that can produce unpredictable allergenic effects. For example, bean plants that were genetically modified to increase cysteine and methionine content were discarded after the discovery that the expressed protein of the transgene was highly allergenic (Bawa, & Anilakumar, 2013). Michael post 75 word post "Pesticides are poisons and, unfortunately, they can harm more than just the “pests” at which they are targeted." (PAN UK, 2019). This fairly succinctly summarizes the idea. The entire purpose of a pesticide is to repel or kill species that are harmful to certain desirable plants, most of which serve as edible produce to humans. However any substance that is harmful to organic life has the potential to have negative repercussions on creatures that the pesticide is not intended to bring harm to. Like the humans who would eat the produce being protected by the pesticide. In the short term we can have various forms of irritation or minor illness, while in the long term we can have cases of Parkinson's disease and cancer. When it comes to alternatives to pesticides the answers are a bit tricky depending on the pest. For pests such as mosquitoes having garlic growing is a simple and natural alternative to chemicals. Pests such as ants, caterpillars, an.