Genetics in our Everyday Lives

Article by Dr. Felix Rippy

Science is such a wonderful thing. It is exact and analytical yet magical at the same time. Imagine a world without science; our way of life would be impossible. If you look at the world today from the perspective of a person who lived a hundred years back, the way we work, the way we communicate and travel is nothing short of a miracle.

One particularly interesting branch of science is genetics. While speaking of genetics usually conjures up images of clones and whatnot, what most people do not know is that genetics plays and important part in our everyday lives.

Without genetics, so much of the things we eat would be very scarce or very difficult to produce which would make it inaccessible to most. For instance, the milk we drink is most likely from genetically modified bovine. Without genetic testing, cows would not be able to produce milk in large enough quantities to meet the world’s demand. Without genetics, something as simple as pouring milk into your cereal would be reserved for the ultra-rich. Another genetically modified food product is potatoes. Without modification potatoes cannot be grown large enough or fast enough to be able to meet the world’s need for the root crop. French fries would basically be impossible without genetics!

To explain genetics in a nutshell; what the scientists do is they study the genetic structure of organisms and adjust their Poly C, Poly DA and other properties to bring out good qualities and hide unwanted ones.