2-3 paragraphs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

2-3 paragraphs - Essay Example This debate on whether viruses are living or non-living continues, and challenges our very definition of what is alive and what is not. Viruses are thought to be not alive on their own, but with a potential for life if they can find a host. All living beings have a critical complexity which lets them autonomously perform metabolic functions for their own survival and since viruses lack this critical complexity, they are on the edge of life. They are not fully alive but not completely inert either, as they can affect living beings in tremendous ways. The genetic code of the Mimivirus, for instance, is extremely complex, and makes it quite similar to parasitic cellular organisms. It is in this complexity of genetical make-up that the true significance of a virus lies, because it enables the virus to program the host cells in ways that could unexpectedly change the direction of the host’s evolution as some of the virus’s genome becomes a permanent part of a host’s genome. Some of the genomes that may seem to have come into the human genetic make-up through bacteria may have actually originated in a virus. Thus, despite being on the borderline of life, the role of viruses in living beings and evolution needs to be considered at length in order to fully understand the nature of life and its

Genetic modified food in the U.S. (GMO) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Genetic modified food in the U.S. (GMO) - Essay Example The scientific methods used are critical and needs to be researched widely to elucidate the controversy of the GMO and their effects on human beings. Most GMOs take less time than usual to grow. This has been considered as an abnormal situation that can lead to several health complications to consumers. One of the controversies is related to the idea or allegations that GMOs have fertility complications on the users (Food and Nutrition Board 5). This is evidenced by numerous studies that were conducted on different animals that turned out to be positive on infertility. Immune problem has also been associated with consuming of GMOs. It is argued that continued consumption of the GMO causes or leads to lowered immune system in the body. In addition there have been allegations that continued consumption of GM foods causes aging factors that make individuals to age at a faster rate than the normal rate. Some doctors have conducted some tests on GM foods and advice people to avoid GM foods because they have numerous health consequences to the body. Studies have documented that most susceptive group of the population are the children (Food and Nutrition Board 5). In fact, some doctors have argued that in some extreme case, children act as experimental animals for GM foods because of their weak immune systems. One of the notable experiments that confirmed problems with GM foods on children involved rats that were injected with GM soy on female rats. Within a span of three weeks, most of the rat babies were dead. The control group that involved rats that were fed with natural soy recorded a 10% death rate. Babies that survived to the maturity had problems getting pregnant. In this regard, it is argued that the use GM foods by human beings would be similar to the experiment that was on rats. In addition, when male rats were fed with GM soy, their testicles changed color form normal pink to dark blue and alteration of sperm. The DNA composition of the