The End of World Hunger or the End of a Precious Life, Do Genetically Modified Foods Help or Harm Humans? Genetically modified foods represent a turning point in agriculture as we know it. Genetically modified foods offer benefits to crops that seem unachievable, but in reality the benefits of genetically modified foods are within reach. In an effort to fight the never-ending battle of world hunger, scientists have created genetically modified foods that have the urge to harm as many humans as they help save them. The debate over genetically modified or GMO foods, also known as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) – is nothing new; since the 1970s the conflict has been fraught with an array of voters and protesters. GMOs are crop-based organisms such as fruit, corn, cotton, tobacco, and a wide variety of plant species, that are altered to produce a more efficient and productive crop. The alterations, however, do not correspond to the conventional selective breeding found before GMOs; alterations are made at the genetic level through genetic engineering by replacing one or more specific genes with a desired gene from another plant, animal, virus and/or bacterium. “The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that the world will have to grow 70% more food by 2050 just to keep up with population growth” (“Freedman”). Genetically modified organisms are very beneficial to the human race, because altering crops in this way can increase overall crop production, making the crop resistant to drafts, producing more grains or fruits per capita, reducing crop waste and increasing insect resilience. thus taking a step forward in reducing world hunger. Genetically modified crops can also grow in multiple conditions… middle of paper… identify and eliminate them” (“Freedman”), because scientists will know exactly which gene to remove or replace to solve the problem. Most people might think that genetically altering organisms is a completely arcane technology, but “the human race has been selectively breeding crops, thereby altering plant genomes, for millennia” (“Freedman”). Therefore the possible negative aspects of genetically modified organisms are greatly overwhelmed by the positive aspects, leaving the rejection of GMOs in diminution. Society and the world can benefit from GMO relief for farmers, relief for third world countries, and destitution alike. GMOs could cure the blind and prevent millions of deaths from purely preventable diseases and other causes such as starvation. Works Cited Freedman, David H. “Are Engineered Foods Evil?” Online database access. Yukon.actx.edu, September 2013. Web. 11 November. 2013.