Biotechnology definition Biotechnology is the use of living

Biotechnology definition… • Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make useful products, or "any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms to make or modify products or processes for specific use • Medical: vaccines, antibiotics,

Benefits of Biotech in NC (This will definitely be on the EOG!) AGRICULTURE!

Agriculture in NC PROS ·Biotech can make crops grow bigger. ·Increases crop yield (# of crops grown) for NC farmers.

Examples of biotechnology in NC PROS Forestry: ·Adding genes to make trees more resistant to fungus and bugs ·Might help save NC forests and lumber jobs

Biotechnology in agriculture PROS Less crops eaten by insects Eg: Development of genetically modified corn plants

Biotechnology in agriculture PROS Better-tasting fruits/veggies

Biotechnology in agriculture CONS 1. GM crops may contaminate other natural plants. 2. Safe? Unknown problems we haven't predicted. . . 3. Moral?

Medicine in NC ·Biotechnology creates new treatments and medicines ·Lots of biotechnology businesses(and JOBS) are in NC PROS

CON (risk)!

CONS Using antimicrobial solutions ·Kills 99% of germs? ·What about that 1% of germs that lives? ·They are immune to the sanitizer! Con: Overusing antibiotics = increased antibioticresistant bacteria!

There happens to be a few bacteria who are strong enough to survive the antibacterial soap.

The strong bacteria have strong children, which means even more bacteria can survive the antibacterial soap.

Now most of the strong bacteria have survived, and most of the weak bacteria have been destroyed. Natural Selection->Evolution

PRACTICE! 1. 2. 3. crops? 4. 5. What do scientists in biotechnology work on? What is an example of how biotechnology can benefit agriculture? What are two ethical concerns (cons) with GM genetically modified What is an antibiotic resistant bacteria and how can it develop? How can biotechnology improve human health?