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How a Biotech Company Almost Killed The World (With Booze)

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SunnyD said:
Because it would have been shipped pretty much everywhere. Remember, it was intended to be a PRODUCT FOR SALE GLOBALLY.



And said bacterium doesn't migrate at all?



Competition is one thing, but conferring a trait to associated bacterium is something that most bacteria do extremely well.
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This isn't necessarily a favorable trait. The wild bacteria can also confer the trait of not having this gene to the modified bacteria, it works both ways.
 
IHateMyJob2004 said:
Googling Dr. Elaine Ingham yields nothing about this. How odd
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Holmes, M.T., Ingham, E.R., Doyle, J.D., & Hendricks, C.W. (1998). Effects of Klebsiella-planticola SDF20 on soil biota and wheat growth in sandy soil. Applied Soil Ecology, 326, 1-12.

Doyle, J.D., Hendricks, C.W., Holmes, M.T., and E.R. Ingham. (1999). Effects of Klebsiella planticola SDF20 on soil biota and wheat growth in sandy soil. Appl. Soil Ecol. Vol. 11, issue 1: 67-78.

Holmes, M.T., E.R. Ingham, J.D. Doyle and C.W. Hendricks. (In press) Characterization and ethanol production of genetically engineered Klebsiella planticola and effects on plant growth. Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Holmes, M.T. and E.R. Ingham. (in prep) Ecological effects caused by the release of genetically engineered Klebsiella planticola in native grassland soil. Soil. Biol. Biochem.

l2google.
 
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GaryJohnson said:
Boats and airplanes? Maybe some trucks.
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Are you being intentionally obtuse?

Has any product, in the history of mankind, had 100% market penetration upon its introduction? Or anywhere even close? Would it even be possible for them to manufacture enough to supply the "whole world?" The answer is no.
 
Cattlegod said:
That is what I don't get. If it kills the plants that it needs to live, then wouldn't it just die off in the first crops that it was used on?
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Wouldn't it still be able to spread?

The bacteria can feed on live or dead plant matter. The bacteria can feed off a plant, while multiplying over to the neighboring plant. Perhaps a dead piece of plant breaks off and gets blown by the wind into the next field. Either way, it seems that the bacteria would be able to slowly take over.
 
Now those wonderful traits that made it such a good candidate for modification in the first place--its notorious aggressiveness and near omnipresence--are no longer such good things, are they? Because if there's one thing you really don't want your poison to be, it's "notoriously aggressive." And if there's one place you absolutely do not want your "notoriously aggressive poison" to be, it's "everywhere."
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Laughed out loud at this. Good read, thanks OP and whomever posted the text. :awe:

KT
 
Kev said:
Are you being intentionally obtuse?

Has any product, in the history of mankind, had 100% market penetration upon its introduction? Or anywhere even close? Would it even be possible for them to manufacture enough to supply the "whole world?" The answer is no.
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Obviously, the biotech company is in league with the chemtrails company, whoever they are.
 
Kev said:
Are you being intentionally obtuse?

Has any product, in the history of mankind, had 100% market penetration upon its introduction? Or anywhere even close? Would it even be possible for them to manufacture enough to supply the "whole world?" The answer is no.
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Not only that, it was "For Sale" not "For Free" There's quite a few poor farmers out there.
 
jersiq said:
Not only that, it was "For Sale" not "For Free" There's quite a few poor farmers out there.
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we're talking alcohol here.

The poor farmers would have bet on the marketability of the products this bacterium produced. And they would have made a sound bet imho, I'd do the same.

"Wait wait wait... let me get this straight. I buy this here bacteria goop, and from it and the remains of my harvest, I'll get both alcohol and fertilizer that is ready for market?! Where do I sign? Wait... hold on.
HONEY! We're going to have to put off that project. No no, don't worry, we'll be able to afford that project and then some next year!
Okay, now where's that pen?"

1 year later...

"What have we done?!!!!"
 
Leros said:
Wouldn't it still be able to spread?

The bacteria can feed on live or dead plant matter. The bacteria can feed off a plant, while multiplying over to the neighboring plant. Perhaps a dead piece of plant breaks off and gets blown by the wind into the next field. Either way, it seems that the bacteria would be able to slowly take over.
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more importantly, us "doubters" are arguing that this article "assumes" the bacterium has no competition. It most likely would.

it establishes itself on roots, mostly, so I don't see it becoming effectively wind-born. But still, you've got all sorts of beasties in that environment fighting for real estate, and willing to ingest their neighbors to do so.

No doubt that this is a clear example of the failures of profit-driven science, but the article seems to be written in the same attitude of typical trumped-up anti-science Greenpeace propaganda that is just fucking sickening.
 
How does this stuff work on Poppy fields? There's a dearth of alcohol in some parts of the world.
 
the ability to (accidentally) kill the planet has been in the hands of governments for half a century. it's only natural that this power is eventually in the hands of private companies and eventually down to a single disgruntled genius.
 
The Boston Dangler said:
the ability to (accidentally) kill the planet has been in the hands of governments for half a century. it's only natural that this power is eventually in the hands of private companies and eventually down to a single disgruntled genius.
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It's been argued that for mankind to truly advance into the next stage of intelligence as a species, the ability to completely wipe out the species will need to be in the hands of many average citizens.
We'll either perish due to our own progress, or show our prowess as an intelligent, reasonable animal.

Good news everyone!
😀
 
zinfamous said:
more importantly, us "doubters" are arguing that this article "assumes" the bacterium has no competition. It most likely would.

it establishes itself on roots, mostly, so I don't see it becoming effectively wind-born. But still, you've got all sorts of beasties in that environment fighting for real estate, and willing to ingest their neighbors to do so.

No doubt that this is a clear example of the failures of profit-driven science, but the article seems to be written in the same attitude of typical trumped-up anti-science Greenpeace propaganda that is just fucking sickening.
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Ever hear of erosion, water cycle and, bacteria transfer? Not to mention, transportation, storage and, marketing of infected produce. I recommend learning more about how the food you eat gets from the farm to your plate.
 
MagnusTheBrewer said:
Ever hear of erosion, water cycle and, bacteria transfer? Not to mention, transportation, storage and, marketing of infected produce. I recommend learning more about how the food you eat gets from the farm to your plate.
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I recommend looking into the studies on population genetics and evolution of bacteria.
 
MagnusTheBrewer said:
Ever hear of erosion, water cycle and, bacteria transfer? Not to mention, transportation, storage and, marketing of infected produce. I recommend learning more about how the food you eat gets from the farm to your plate.
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rather irrelevant considering the generational time of most bacteria.
 
Gibsons said:
I recommend looking into the studies on population genetics and evolution of bacteria.
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zinfamous said:
rather irrelevant considering the generational time of most bacteria.
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Ever hear of dormancy? The idea that a bacteria of the type described would have a limited or localized effect is ludacris. 'Life will find a way.' While it is difficult to imagine one careless misstep having a cataclysmic result, we are engaged in innumerable missteps on a daily basis. Unfortunately, we won't find out until the pendulum has already swung too far. I do not fear progress, I fear educated fools who think they are capable of directing it.
 
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