转基因食品是好是坏？基因工程与我们的食物：英语精读讲义

GMOs are one of the most controversial areas of science. 語法

转基因生物（GMO）是科学界最具争议的领域之一。

Genetic engineering is used in many fields,

基因工程被应用于许多领域，

but even though medical applications like GM insulin are widely accepted, 語法

但尽管像转基因胰岛素这样的医学应用被广泛接受，

the debate heats up when it comes to food and agriculture. 講解

当涉及到食品和农业时，争论就变得激烈起来。

Why is that?

这是为什么呢？

Why is the same thing treated so differently?

为什么同一件事会受到如此不同的对待？

Let's try to get to the bottom of this and explore the facts, 習語

让我们试着探究其根源，探索事实、

the fears,

恐惧，

and the future of GMOs.

以及转基因生物的未来。

Humans have been genetically modifying plants and animals for thousands of years. 語法

人类对动植物进行基因改造已有数千年的历史。

Maybe a few of your crops had very good yields.

也许你种的一些农作物产量很高。

Maybe one of your wolves was especially loyal.

也许你养的一只狼特别忠诚。

So, you did the smart thing and bred the plants and animals that had traits beneficial to you. 語法

所以，你做出了明智的选择，培育对你有益的植物和动物。

Traits are just an expression of genes.

特征只是基因的表达。

So, with each generation, 表達脈絡

因此，随着每一代的繁衍，

those genes got more pronounced.

这些基因变得更加显著。

After thousands of years,

几千年后，

almost every single plant and animal around us is vastly different from its pre-domesticated state.

我们周围的几乎每一种动植物都与被驯化前的状态大不相同。

If humans have been changing genes for millennia,

如果人类在几千年里一直在改变基因，

what makes a so-called genetically modified organism or GMO different? 用詞

是什么让所谓的转基因生物（GMO）有所不同呢？

Selective breeding is basically hoping for lucky hits. 習語

选择性育种基本上就是指望碰运气。

Genetic engineering eliminates this factor.

基因工程消除了这个因素。

We can choose the traits we want,

我们可以选择我们想要的特征，

make fruit grow bigger, immune to pests, and so on. 語法

让水果长得更大，对害虫免疫，等等。

So, why are people concerned about them?

那么，人们为什么对它们感到担忧呢？

Let's start with one of the most common objections to GMOs. 表達脈絡

让我们从最常见的一个对转基因的反对意见开始。

Gene flow, 文化背景

基因流动，

meaning GM crops could mix with traditional crops

意味着转基因作物可能会与传统作物混合，

and introduce unwanted new characteristics into them.

并把不需要的新特征引入其中。

There is a method that might guarantee complete prevention,

有一种方法可能保证完全预防，

but it's a big anti-GMO argument by itself.

但它本身也是反转基因的一个重要论点。

Terminator seeds. 文化背景

终结者种子。

The idea is that they could produce sterile plants,

其理念是它们能产生不育的植物，

requiring farmers to buy new seeds every year. 語法

迫使农民每年都要购买新的种子。

The very concept of this, however,

然而，正是这个概念，

caused a public outcry, 短語搭配

引发了公众的强烈抗议，

stopping the technology being put to use. 語法

阻止了这项技术投入使用。

This brings us back to the unintentional spreading of engineered DNA. 表達脈絡

这把我们带回了工程DNA无意间传播的问题。

There have been cases of GMOs growing where they weren't planted,

曾经发生过转基因作物在未种植的地方生长的情况，

and traces of modified genes found in foreign crops.

并且在其他作物中发现了转基因的痕迹。

But GM plants can't run wild entirely. 習語

但转基因植物并不能完全肆意生长。

Many crops pollinate themselves,

许多农作物是自花授粉的，

and all crops have to be related to mingle.

并且所有的农作物都必须有亲缘关系才能进行杂交。

There are also cultural methods like buffer zones to keep unintentional crossing at a minimum. 短語搭配

此外，还有诸如设立缓冲区等耕作方法，可以将无意杂交的可能性降至最低。

But if it's possible in principle that a GMO could unintentionally cross with a non-GMO, 短語搭配

但如果原则上转基因作物有可能与非转基因作物无意杂交，

there's actually a more important question.

实际上还有一个更重要的问题。

Is food that comes from GM crops different to food from non-GM crops? 用詞

来自转基因作物的食物与来自非转基因作物的食物有区别吗？

This question has been a major concern from the very beginning.

这个问题从一开始就备受关注。

GM plants that are destined to be eaten are checked for possible dangers, 用詞

供食用的转基因植物会经过潜在危险的检测，

and the results are evaluated by multiple agencies.

其结果将由多个机构进行评估。

After more than 30 years and thousands of studies,

经过30多年和数千项研究，

the science is in. 習語

科学界得出了结论。

Eating GMO plants is no more risky than their non-GMO equivalent. 語法

食用转基因植物并不比非转基因同类植物更有风险。

But don't just take our word for it. 語氣意圖

但别只听我们的一面之词。

Sources for this and other claims are in the video description.

这个及其他主张的信息来源都在视频描述中。

But what about plants that have been engineered to be toxic?

但如果是那些被改造成有毒的植物呢？

For example, Bt crops.

例如，Bt作物。

A gene borrowed from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis lets engineered plants produce a protein that destroys the digestive system of specific insect pests. 語法

从苏云金芽孢杆菌中借来的一个基因，能让转基因植物产生一种破坏特定害虫消化系统的蛋白质。

The plant makes its own pesticide.

这种植物能制造自己的杀虫剂。

Insects that eat it die.

吃它的昆虫会死掉。

That sounds alarming.

这听起来很令人震惊。

Pesticide sprays can be washed off,

喷洒的杀虫剂可以被洗掉，

while the poison in Bt crops is inside the plant.

而Bt作物中的毒素就在植物体内。

But actually, it's not a big deal.

但实际上，这没什么大不了的。

Poison is really just a question of different perspectives. 表達脈絡

毒素其实只是看问题的不同角度而已。

What's harmless to one species might kill another.

对一个物种无害的东西，可能会杀死另一个物种。

Coffee, for example,

比如，咖啡

is a poison that kills insects,

是一种能杀死昆虫的毒药，

but is harmless to us.

但对我们却无害。

Or take chocolate. 表達脈絡

或者拿巧克力来说。

It's dangerous for dogs,

它对狗来说很危险，

but a pleasure for humans.

但对人类来说却是一种享受。

Bt crops produce a protein that is tailored to the specific design of the digestive tract of certain insects. 短語搭配

Bt作物产生的一种蛋白质，是专门针对某些昆虫消化道结构而设计的。

It's completely harmless for us.

它对我们完全无害。

There's also the opposite approach.

此外还有相反的做法。

Plants that are engineered to be resistant to certain weed killers.

被改造成对某些除草剂具有抗性的植物。

This way,

这样一来，

farmers can use them widely,

农民可以广泛使用除草剂，

killing the other plants competing for resources without harming the crop.

杀死那些争夺资源的其他植物，同时不伤害农作物。

Here we get to the dark underbelly of GMOs. 習語

在这里，我们触及了转基因生物阴暗的一面。

For the pesticide industry,

对于农药行业来说，

they are big business.

这是一门大生意。

Over 90% of all cash crops in the US are herbicide-resistant, 用詞

美国90%以上的经济作物都具有抗除草剂特性，

mostly to glyphosate.

主要是抗草甘膦。

As a result,

结果就是，

the use of glyphosate has increased greatly.

草甘膦的使用量大幅增加。

That isn't only bad.

这不仅是坏事。

Glyphosate is much less harmful to humans than many other herbicides.

草甘膦对人类的危害比许多其他除草剂要小得多。

Still,

尽管如此，

this means farmers have a strong incentive to rely on this one method only, 短語搭配

这意味着农民有强烈的动机只依赖这一种方法，

casting more balanced ways of managing weeds aside. 短語動詞

从而把更均衡的杂草管理方式抛到一边。

That's one of the most fundamental problems with the GMO debate.

这是转基因辩论中最根本的问题之一。

Much of the criticism of this technology is actually criticism of modern agriculture 表達脈絡

对这项技术的许多批评，实际上是对现代农业的批评，

and the business practice of the huge corporations that control our food supply.

以及对控制我们食品供应的巨头公司的商业模式的批评。

This criticism is not only valid,

这种批评不仅是合理的，

it's also important.

也是重要的。

We need to change agriculture to a more sustainable model.

我们需要把农业转变为更可持续的模式。

GMOs as a technology are actually an ally and not an enemy in that fight, 習語

作为一种技术，转基因生物在这场斗争中其实是盟友，而不是敌人，

helping to save and protect nature and minimize our impact on the environment.

它能帮助拯救和保护自然，并将我们对环境的影响降到最低。

Let's look at some positive examples.

让我们看看一些正面的例子。

Eggplant is an important crop in Bangladesh,

茄子是孟加拉国的重要农作物，

but often whole harvests are destroyed by pests.

但经常整个收成都毁于虫害。

Farmers had to rely heavily on pesticides. 短語搭配

农民不得不严重依赖杀虫剂。

Not only was this very expensive, 語法

这不仅非常昂贵，

farmers also frequently got sick.

农民也经常因此生病。

The introduction of a new GM eggplant in 2013 stopped this.

2013年一种新型转基因茄子的引入改变了这一切。

The same Bt protein we talked about before,

之前我们提到过的相同的Bt蛋白，

an effective killer of insects,

它是有效的昆虫杀手，

but harmless to humans,

但对人类无害，

was engineered into them.

被基因工程改造进了茄子里。

This reduced insecticide use on eggplant by more than 80%.

这使得茄子上的杀虫剂使用量减少了80%以上。

The health of farmers improved,

农民的健康状况得到了改善，

and their income rose dramatically.

他们的收入也大幅增加。

And sometimes,

而有时，

a GM approach is the only option.

转基因方法是唯一的选择。

In the 1990s,

在20世纪90年代，

the papaya industry in Hawaii was under attack from the ringspot virus, 習語

夏威夷的木瓜产业受到了轮斑病毒的侵袭，

which threatened to wipe out Hawaiian papaya. 短語動詞

这威胁到了夏威夷木瓜的存亡。

The solution was a papaya genetically modified to be vaccinated against the virus. 文化背景

解决办法是一种接种过该病毒疫苗的转基因木瓜。

Without it, 語法

如果没有它，

the state's papaya industry would have collapsed.

该州的木瓜产业将会崩溃。

All these stories show a very narrow application.

所有这些故事都显示出转基因应用范围非常狭窄。

99% of all GMOs we use right now

我们目前使用的转基因生物99%

produce pesticides or are resistant against them.

都是用来生产杀虫剂或者具有抗药性。

There is so much more we could do.

我们能做的其实还有很多。

Scientists are working on GMOs that could improve our diet.

科学家们正在研究能够改善我们饮食的转基因生物。

Plants that produce more or different nutrients,

能产生更多或不同营养物质的植物，

like fruit with higher antioxidant levels that help to fight diseases,

比如抗氧化剂水平更高、有助于对抗疾病的水果，

or rice with additional vitamins.

或者含有额外维生素的大米。

On a larger scale, 表達脈絡

在更大层面上，

we're trying to engineer plants that are more resilient to climate change. 短語搭配

我们正试图改造出更能抵御气候变化的植物。

Plants that can better adapt to erratic weather and adverse soil conditions, 短語搭配

能更好地适应恶劣天气和不利土壤条件的植物，

making them resistant to droughts or floods.

使其具备抗旱或抗洪能力。

GMOs could also not only reduce agriculture's impact on the environment,

转基因生物不仅可以减少农业对环境的影响，

but actively help to protect it.

还能积极帮助保护环境。

Scientists are working on crops that can draw nitrogen from the air like microbes. 用詞

科学家们正在研发能够像微生物一样从空气中吸收氮的农作物。

Nitrogen is a common fertilizer,

氮是一种常见的肥料，

but its buildup pollutes the groundwater and speeds up climate change. 短語動詞

但它的积聚会污染地下水，加速气候变化。

Plants that collect their own nitrogen could fix two problems at once. 短語搭配

能够自己收集氮的植物可以同时解决两个问题。

The overuse of fertilizers in the developed world,

发达国家化肥的过度使用，

as well as the shortage of it in developing countries.

以及发展中国家化肥的短缺。

We could even modify plants to become super effective carbon collectors

我们甚至可以改造植物，使其成为超级有效的碳收集器，

like the American chestnut tree,

比如美洲栗树，

to mitigate and actually reverse climate change. 短語搭配

以减缓并真正逆转气候变化。

With the tools we have today,

借助于我们今天所拥有的工具，

our imagination is the limit. 習語

我们的想象力就是极限。

The world eats 11 million pounds of food every day.

全球每天消耗1100万磅食物。

A UN estimate suggests we'll need 70% more by 2050. 表達脈絡

联合国估计，到2050年我们需要增加70%的食物。

We could grow that food by clearing more and more forests to create fields and pastures,

我们可以通过不断清理森林来开辟田地和牧场，

and by using more pesticides.

以及使用更多的杀虫剂来种植这些食物。

Or we find a way to do it on the land we've got right now

或者，我们可以找到一种方法，利用现有的土地，

with more effective methods like GM crops.

借助像转基因作物这样更有效的方法来生产。

Intensifying farming instead of expanding it 語法

通过集约化农业而不是扩大农业规模，

means GMOs could become the new organic.

意味着转基因作物可能成为新的有机食品。

In a nutshell, 表達脈絡

简而言之，

GMOs have the potential to not only drastically change agriculture, 講解

转基因生物不仅有潜力彻底改变农业，

but to also dampen the effects of our own irresponsible behavior. 短語搭配

还能减轻我们自己不负责任的行为所带来的影响。

GMOs could be our most powerful weapon 習語

转基因生物可能是我们最强大的武器，

to save our biosphere.

用以拯救我们的生物圈。

This video took more than 600 hours to make,

这个视频花了600多个小时制作，

which would be impossible without viewer support on patreon.com.

如果没有patreon.com上观众的支持，这是不可能完成的。

If you'd like to support carefully researched content made with love,

如果你想支持经过仔细研究且用心制作的内容，

it's really very helpful,

这将真的非常有帮助，

and you can get your own bird as a reward.

你还可以得到一只你自己的小鸟作为奖励。

If you want to learn more about genetic modification,

如果你想了解更多关于基因改造的知识，

we have more videos explaining the opportunities and risks of the technology

我们还有更多视频解释这项技术的机会和风险，

and how it could impact our future.

以及它可能对我们未来的影响。