
How Square Watermelons Get Their Shape, and Other G.M.O. Misconceptions - hvo
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/07/12/science/gmo-misconceptions.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront
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dekhn
Personally, I'm not happy with the GMO terminology "misconceptions" in this
article.

"""Misconception: Humans have been making G.M.O.s for millenniums. Actually:
While selective breeding is a form of genetic modification, G.M.O. refers to
foods made with specific forms of modern biotechnology."""

the problem is that the term itself, "genetically modified organism" mneans a
lot more than what the terminology is legally or colloquially implies. Modern
biotechnology doesn't have some exclusive lock on the term, since it's generic
enough to include selective breeding and x-ray mutagenesis.

This kind of inaccuracy in the naming of the term doesn't help anybody.

