NATASHA MAE P.

PATRICIO BSCE1A
 SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

In your own words, answer the following questions. Explain your answers and cite examples.

1. Genetic engineering produces genetically modified organisms, like new varieties of plants and
enhanced species. If they are introduced into the environment, can they affect biodiversity? How?
 Genetic engineering is an ethical issue that needs to be regulated by the personal, cultural, and
global conscience. It produces an organism that has a new trait it would most likely not have
developed on its own. So, if the genetic engineering introduced to environment can affect the
biodiversity. For example, if the Genetic engineering use to an existing species it can overrun more
for new dominant species. Despite of this, genetic engineering helps also the environment by
allowing farmers to grow more crops using less land. Some advantages of the genetic engineering
are will get improved organisms, can create organisms with traits not previously thought possible,
can remove “bad” genes and reduces the chance of getting “undesirable” organisms. But despite of
this advantage, there are also disadvantage of genetic engineering it might costly, it must be
performed in a lab with special equipment, ethical issues, long term negative affect and had a
negative environmental impacts.

2. Prerequisites for gene therapy include finding the best delivery system for the gene. How can
nanotechnology contribute to gene therapy?
 As we all know, the nanotechnology refers to the manipulation of matters on an atomic or sub-
atomic scale and it is a incredible small things that we use in chemistry, biology, physics and
materials science. Nano-Technology contribute to Gene Therapy by direct delivery of therapeutic
nucleic acids to the target cells without the use of any carrier materials is one of the simplest
techniques (biological or synthetic). However, the transfection effectiveness and durability of
naked nucleic acids are worse due to their anionic nature, small size, and potential breakdown by
cytosolic and extracellular matrix enzymes. Although localized distribution via subcutaneous or
intramuscular routes of injection is more advantageous when employing naked therapeutic genes,
cell internalization hurdles still exist.

3. Climate change can alter our energy generation potential and needs. How can climate change affect our
energy supply?
 The global climate is changing and that is posing increasingly severe risks for ecosystems, human
health and the economy. Climate change affect the energy supply by directly affect to fuel supply,
energy production, and the physical robustness of present and future energy infrastructure are all
directly impacted by climate change. Droughts and heat waves are already straining the capacity of
current energy production, making it even more crucial to cut back on fossil fuel emissions. The
effects of more extreme weather, water, and climate events are already evident. Therefore, in the
race to achieve net zero emissions, concerns regarding the effects of global temperature rise on
energy security are of utmost importance. When CO2 emissions from human activities are globally
balanced by CO2 removals over a predetermined period, net zero emissions are attained. Carbon
neutrality also refers to net zero CO2 emissions.