Category Archives: knowledge transfer

people’s knowledge

How genetic modification is done: 1. Agrobacterium

Posted on August 30, 2015 by argylesock

Genetic modification (GM, genetic engineering) for eukaryotes matters because we humans are eukaryotes and we use eukaryotes. As you know, eukaryotes have nucleated cells. Among the eukaryotes we eat angiosperms (flowering, fruiting plants), herbivores which eat them, and predators which … Continue reading →

Posted in knowledge transfer | Tagged Agrobacterium tumefaciens, bacterium, biotechnology, Bt crop, cotton, crop, eukaryote, prokaryote | 3 Comments

Biotechnology in Action

Posted on July 29, 2015 by argylesock

My column Biotechnology in Action will go live soon. I’ll promote each article – on the first day of each calendar month, starting September 2015 – here on WordPress.

Posted in knowledge transfer | Tagged biotechnology, knowledge | Leave a comment

New contact details

Posted on July 10, 2015 by argylesock

Hello after a year’s silence. I don’t expect to write Science on the Land for a while, perhaps nevcr, but soon I’ll be writing on Science 2.0. My new column there will be about applied biotech, working title Biotechnology in Action, … Continue reading →

Posted in knowledge transfer | Tagged biotechnology, knowledge | Leave a comment

Neonic makers might pay for research about neonics on the land

Posted on July 28, 2014 by argylesock

Here in Europe, three insect-killing neonicotinoids are under a temporary ban. During the ban our UK Government is welcoming new research. It’s now become known that pesticide manufacturers might fund some of this research. Vested interests! Last year my fellow … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, ecology, horticulture, knowledge transfer | Tagged arthropod, Bayer, brassica, bumblebee, Europe, finance, Heath_David, honeybee, hymenopteran, insect, insecticide, law, neonicotinoid, oilseed, Paterson_Owen, pesticide, plant_dicot, pollination, rapeseed, research, seed dressing, Syngenta, Truss_Elizabeth, wild bee, wild pollinator | 7 Comments

A neonic that’s bad news for birds

Posted on July 25, 2014 by argylesock

Here in Europe, three insect-killing neonicotinoids are under a temporary ban. One of the banned neonics is called imidacloprid. Six months into the neonic ban, here’s new science about imidacloprid and insect-eating birds in the Netherlands. The chemical and biotech … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, ecology, horticulture, knowledge transfer | Tagged apple, arthropod, Bayer, bird, crop, DDT, ecosystem, Europe, European Food Safety Authority, history, imidacloprid, insect, insecticide, insectivore, invertebrate, knowledge, law, pest control, pesticide, plant_dicot, poison, pollution, research, seed, seedling, soil, sugar beet, tomato, vertebrate, water, wildlife | 2 Comments

Séralini’s rat-feeding trial (part 5)

Posted on July 15, 2014 by argylesock

Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini is a French scientist researching pesticides and GM (genetically modified, genetically engineered, GE) crops. A research paper from his team was published in 2012, retracted (withdrawn) in 2013 and republished in 2014. Here it is. This is … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer | Tagged academia, America, biotechnology, corn, crop variety, Europe, food safety, genetic modification, glyphosate, grain, herbicide, herbicide resistance, knowledge, lab animal, maize, maize NK603, mammal, Monsanto, pesticide, pesticide resistance, plant_monocot, rat, research, rodent, Roundup, Roundup Ready crop, Séralini_Gilles-Eric, tumour, vertebrate | 1 Comment

New Séralini study shows Roundup damages sperm

Posted on July 13, 2014 by argylesock

Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini is a French scientist researching pesticides and GM (genetically modified, genetically engineered, GE) crops. He’s published a new study in which rats (Rattus norvegicus) were exposed to the world’s most popular weedkiller, Roundup (active ingredient glyphosate) for … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, horticulture, human health, knowledge transfer | Tagged academia, America, biotechnology, corn, Europe, farmer, food safety, gardener, genetic modification, glyphosate, grain, grocery, herbicide, herbicide resistance, human, lab animal, maize, maize NK603, mammal, man, Monsanto, pesticide, pesticide resistance, plant_monocot, poison, rat, research, Roundup, Roundup Ready crop, Séralini_Gilles-Eric, vertebrate | 7 Comments

America’s dwindling diversity

Posted on July 13, 2014 by argylesock

Here’s a graphic picture about the range of crop varieties available to farmers and growers in the United States. A range falling and falling between 1903 and 1983. Of course some of the now-extinct varieties will have been weak, but … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, horticulture, knowledge transfer | Tagged America, biodiversity, biotechnology, conservation, crop diversity, genetic modification, history | 3 Comments

Debating GM across the Pond

Posted on July 8, 2014 by argylesock

The biggest free trade deal in history is being negotiated now. If finalised, this will be the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA). A few hours ago I … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, food, knowledge transfer, money and trade | Tagged America, biotechnology, Europe, feed, food, genetic modification, grocery, internet, knowledge, label, law, livestock, politics, seed, trade, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership | 5 Comments

Opening the door on talks about trade

Posted on July 8, 2014 by argylesock

The biggest free trade deal in history is being negotiated now. If finalised, this will be the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the European Union and the United States of America. This matters to everybody because we’re all … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, fish, knowledge transfer, money and trade | Tagged America, Europe, knowledge, law, politics, trade, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership | 4 Comments