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An "A" for Consistency...

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Once again, the we see the familiar rejection of the old axiom, "You can't polish a turd," as apparently you can.  The Florida Department of Education posted their results from last year and pointed out that "Science performance remained consistent." That's great because consistent means the same level of achievement as in recent times.  Must be pretty good, right?  A quick look at the numbers shows that this science glass is half empty, not half full.  "Consistent" performance isn't such a good thing if it is consistently awful.  What does "consistent" mean?  Let's look at the numbers from the standardized FCAT exam that all students need to take: The FCAT is a standardized exam students take in 5th and 8th grade . In a sense we can wipe our collective educational brow, as "consistent" means it isn't getting worse.  At the same time it shows that half the students do not pass the

Talking Biotech Podcast 85 - Biotech, Forest Restoration and Conservation

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There are many threats to forests, including unprecedented challenges by pests, pathogens and climate change.  This week's podcast discusses how biotechnology may be applied to forest restoration & conservation. With Dr. Ellen Crocker, postdoctoral researcher from University of Kentucky.  Follow her on twitter @evcrocker

Please Say No to "GMO"

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Precise Science Demands Precise Nomenclature In science and medicine, the terminology applied can be the difference between life and death, success and failure. Words have precise meanings, and a productive dialogue in the sciences requires adherence to a common set of mutually recognized terms. Shared meaning is like a verbal handshake that ensures a positive connection where information can flow. Genetic engineering , familiarly known by the slippery colloquialism ‘GMO’, has been central to the production of drugs like insulin, enzymes used in cheese making, and laboratory-produced fibers. The widest-recognized successes have been the adoption of the technology by 20 million farmers onto almost half a billion acres of farmland, most of those in the developing world. Some 70 percent of grocery store products now contain ingredients from genetically engineered plants. And while scientists and farmers acknowledge concerns arising from the overuse of the technology, such as weed

How Activists Use Taxpayers to Attack Scientists

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Jonathan Jarry from the Body of Evidence Podcast provides outstanding insight into the recent US-RTK-driven allegations against Dr. Peter Phillips at the University of Saskatchewan.  The industry-funded activist group used CBC Saskatoon to deliver a baseless hit piece that attempts to tarnish a respected scholar.  Jarry unveils how these attacks work. 

Should Hydroponic Production be Eliminated "Organic" Consideration?

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Hydroponic cultivation is considered to be an important technology in the future production of some specialty crops in urban centers.  The concept is simple.  Indoor farms offer the capacity to grow high-value specialty crops in confined, climate controlled space.  They repurpose poorly-used city space, and hire skilled and unskilled workers in population centers.  Most of all, these operations limit the carbon footprint of specialty crop production, which now does not need long-distance transportation.  In some cases the plant products can ease the deficiencies associated with fresh fruit and vegetable scarcity in urban food deserts, areas under-served by large produce retailers.  Dr. Wan Feng describes the effects of bioponic organic fertilizers on lettuce production in a hydroponic system.  While no synthetic chemicals are used, it may not be sold as "organic". Photo from ICCEA Panama, May 17, 2017. In many cases producers are able to grow crops without pestic

Distinguished Researcher Under Activist Attack

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Professor Peter Phillips from the University of Saskatchewan is accused of dirty collusion with Monsanto.  Confiscated emails were stripped of quotations that could be used against him-- read the emails, learn the story, get mad.  This is a good man under activist attack, and shows what these merchants of doubt are all about.  Read the story here. 

Talking Biotech #81 - Potatoes- Past, Present and Future

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This week's podcast is an interview with Dr. David Douches of Michigan State University. David is a traditional potato breeder that explains how wild traits can be moved to improve our rather limited landscape of varieties.  We then talk about biotech traits and efforts being used to create more resistant varieties that can cut dependence on fungicides and other crop protection strategies.