Flour powers

Scientists working in areas that are (rightly or wrongly) socially contentious might benefit by perusing readers' comments lodged on online newspaper websites after the appearance of announcements in their fields. On many occasions, they would find not only approving sentiments but also a surprising degree of hostility. The recent announcement of draft sequence coverage of the wheat genome provides a vivid example. " British scientists have cracked the genetic code for wheat — paving the way for a new breed of crops resistant to disease, " said the Daily Mail on 27 August. " The experts will today share the map of the wheat genome online for free, allowing growers around the world to develop super strains of the crop. The development could also lead to massively increased production — and in turn lower bread prices. But last night there were fears the breakthrough could open the doors to genetically modified 'Frankenstein foods' as scientists will be able to manipulate the wheat DNA. " The UK's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) triggered the media coverage by issuing a press release describing the collaborative work of groups at the universities of Liverpool and Bristol and the John Innes Centre in Norwich. " The genome sequences released comprise five read-throughs of a reference variety of wheat and give scientists and breeders access to 95% of all wheat genes, " said the BBSRC document. " This is among the largest genome projects undertaken, and the rapid public release of the data is expected to accelerate significantly the use of the information by wheat breeding companies. " Here, then, are some of the online comments provided by readers: " These so-called scientists have NO idea what GM crops will do to humans, animals or any other form of life " , " If GM wheat is engineered, then I guess many people will give up eating bread " , " Quit Messing With Our Food Supply! Idiot scientists, some things are meant to be left alone, especially things that You Have No Clue About " , " Disguised GM wheat, trash it ". The Daily Mail's 'Frankenstein' comment and past campaigning against genetic modification may have encouraged so-minded people to post remarks of this sort. Yet there were even stronger protests against The Independent, which not only highlighted potential benefits stemming from the wheat research but also lauded them in an editorial. …