Genetic engineering (GMO) is NOT an extension of conventional plant breeding.

[youceyec]

25. im a biology major...

Other than the occurrence of new dna sequences at the most basic level, selective breeding is nothing like creating gmos or transgenic organisms. For example, most corn consumed in the US has bacterial dna inserted into its genome. These bacterial sequences code for a protein that is deadly to one or more pests. When you eat this corn, you are ingesting the same protein.

Now, that doesn't mean it is dangerous; in fact studies have shown it not to be, so far. GMOs have been around for 40 yrs I believe. Selective breeding in the traditional sense has been around for 10 thousand years. So maybe it should be understandable why many people want to question the safety of gmos?

And of course, in the thousands of years of humans selectively breeding plants, never was it the case that a crop was bred with a bacteria! For that would be the only way anyone with a straight face can say selective breeding is the same as creating gmos or transgenic organisms.

Not sure if Mr Tyson is trying to dumb things down or if he really doesn't know the difference. I suspect the former.