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'); } function MM_preloadImages() { //v3.0 var d=document; if(d.images){ if(!d.MM_p) d.MM_p=new Array(); var i,j=d.MM_p.length,a=MM_preloadImages.arguments; for(i=0; i0&&parent.frames.length) { d=parent.frames[n.substring(p+1)].document; n=n.substring(0,p);} if(!(x=d[n])&&d.all) x=d.all[n]; for (i=0;!x&&i 2) { if ((img = MM_findObj(args[2])) != null && !img.MM_init) { img.MM_init = true; img.MM_up = args[3]; img.MM_dn = img.src; if ((nbArr = document[grpName]) == null) nbArr = document[grpName] = new Array(); nbArr[nbArr.length] = img; for (i=4; i < args.length-1; i+=2) if ((img = MM_findObj(args[i])) != null) { if (!img.MM_up) img.MM_up = img.src; img.src = img.MM_dn = args[i+1]; nbArr[nbArr.length] = img; } } } else if (event == "over") { document.MM_nbOver = nbArr = new Array(); for (i=1; i < args.length-1; i+=3) if ((img = MM_findObj(args[i])) != null) { if (!img.MM_up) img.MM_up = img.src; img.src = (img.MM_dn && args[i+2]) ? args[i+2] : ((args[i+1])? args[i+1] : img.MM_up); nbArr[nbArr.length] = img; } } else if (event == "out" ) { for (i=0; i < document.MM_nbOver.length; i++) { img = document.MM_nbOver[i]; img.src = (img.MM_dn) ? img.MM_dn : img.MM_up; } } else if (event == "down") { nbArr = document[grpName]; if (nbArr) for (i=0; i < nbArr.length; i++) { img=nbArr[i]; img.src = img.MM_up; img.MM_dn = 0; } document[grpName] = nbArr = new Array(); for (i=2; i < args.length-1; i+=2) if ((img = MM_findObj(args[i])) != null) { if (!img.MM_up) img.MM_up = img.src; img.src = img.MM_dn = (args[i+1])? args[i+1] : img.MM_up; nbArr[nbArr.length] = img; } } } //-->

Uses

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There are many applications of genetic engineering in our everyday life. Progress in this field has impacted technology in several areas and has contributed towards many benefits of humankind. Unfortunately, like all science, there are both postive and negative uses.

Medicine - Genetic engineering is able to treat many illnesses and conditions with the human body which were previously much more harmful. Many medicines and treatments are available only because of this technology. Today, there are drugs and vaccines which have the ability to treat cancer, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, and arthritis. Genetic engineering is present in such items like home pregnancy tests too. This industry has the potential to do things many other drugs can't. Other ways genetic engineering helps in healthcare used a bacterium to produce a medically useful chemical.
Agriculture - Much of the food we eat are in some way connected to genetic engineering. In fact, about 60 percent of our food has some sort of biotechnology in it. By taking traits from one organism and putting it into a food, the food can be altered in many ways, like having it last longer, taste better, and grow faster and larger. It can also be designed to be more immune to certain diseases. With less farmers and a greater need of food, genetic engineering can be the savior for this very important field.
Industry - The ability of bacteria to produce chemicals can be used in other areas as well such as in the cheese industry. Also, genetically related advances and business is booming. Click the link for more information.
Terrorism - Former Soviet Union used traits in many organisms to make biological weapons and viruses never before heard of. One scenario is that by using recombinant DNA methods, they might have taken the lethality of Ebola, combined it with the worst part of anthrax, and to top it off, made it extremely contagious by including parts of the smallpox virus. In fact, the USSR was so adept at making biological weapons that they were up to 20 years ahead of the United State's progress at the time.

Image Sources

  1. Imagine It! 111,000 Graphics. Macmillan Digital Publishing.
  2. http://www.free-clipart.net/main.html
  3. http://www.swbic.org/products/clipart/clipart.php