The Irish potato famine is a fungal infection in the potatoes which made potatoes un-harvestable and impossible to eat. Because of this many people died, the Irish population during this time were heavily dependent on the potato for food along with milk. In the 1840s about half of the population were reliant on potatoes for food. The mass potato blight refers to the mass starvation, disease and emigration in Ireland between 1845 and 1852. Approximately 1 million or more died over the course of this, about 20-25% of the population fell. What made matters worse was the effect that the absentee landlords in Ireland had on the famine, the food that was edible was already low enough but the people were required to send enough food to the landlords even if they didn’t have enough for themselves. These horrible conditions in Ireland drove the Irish out of Ireland and many fled to other countries, most headed to the US, during their travel many went on what are called timber ships. These ships were not equipped for human travel but rather lumber. Many of the people who boarded these ships died during the trip to the US and some called these ships coffin ships. The fungi’s associated with the potato blight is referred to as oomycete pathogen which originated from northern united states and is rumored to have traveled to the Ireland area aboard ships. It was most likely brought to the US from central Mexico which is its known place of origin. Nowadays modern genetic modifications allow for us to make genetically modified potatoes resistant to potato blight. The potato was modified by adding a gene to the desired potatoes from a similar plant from south America. It is considered safe since it is not adding chemicals to the potato. This does cost farmers more but in the long run it is cheaper than dealing with a fungal infection.