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Artifact 6

Irish Potato Famine

HR: powerpoint

Origins and Consequences

The potato was an extremely important crop for the Irish in the 1800s. Many people survived only on potatoes and seemed to be very healthy. “By the early 1840s, almost one-half of the Irish population had become entirely dependent upon the potato, specifically on just one or two high-yielding varieties.” However, from 1845-1852 the blight decimated nearly half to three-quarters of all acres planted. A direct result from the blight was a seed shortage which continued to hurt potato production for quite a few years following. Since the Irish people depended on the potato for survival, it is estimated that 25% of the population had died.

Due to the population’s poor nutrition, diseases were able to spread quickly. Many diseases were spread like: measles, diarrhea, TB, and respiratory infections. All of these things caused many families to flee Ireland and head to places in search of a new beginning like the U.S.

Gene Modification Techniques: Benefits and Consequences

More recently, scientists have a growing knowledge about genes and what genes can benefit organisms. By altering an organisms’ genes, one can change many things about that organism. One big change that has been researched is potatoes genetically resistant to strains of the potato blight. It was found that potatoes that were modified had a much better survival rate and were resistant to the blight.

Although there is advancing knowledge and techniques in the gene editing world many people and lawmakers are still concerned. It is believed that if potatoes or other organisms are altered it could increase the strengths of diseases and could be detrimental to their populations. Also, there are laws probhiting gene editing therefore it is not able to be tested often to measure the long term effects of changing an organisms’ genes in the long run.

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