General English Level 5 GELEV5 Unit 05 Topic 04.doc UNIT 05 Technology TOPIC 04 Science changes lives  READING 01 A decade of science breakthroughs Read this report to find out about breakthroughs in gene technology that will change lives now and in the future. During the last 10 years there have been some big breakthroughs in gene technology. Genes are the main unit of inheritance in all living things. They determine what we are and who we are. They determine whether a living thing becomes a human, an animal or a plant. They influence its appearance, size and other qualities. New procedures relating to genes such as cloning and genetically modifying food have been developed in recent years. These developments are controversial because, although they could bring great benefits to humans, they could also be harmful. In fact, many people are asking whether scientists should change genes at all, for any purpose. Although cloning is still very new, it has had one very public success. In 1997 Dolly the sheep was produced from a cell taken from an adult sheep, but without the help of a male parent. This is an example of reproductive cloning. Scientists hoped that this technique could be used to produce identical, superior farm animals. However, it has not been very successful so far, and many cloned animals have died soon after birth. The cloning of humans, while it seems technically possible, needs a lot more research. Cloning technology also has many medical uses. It has the potential to cure many diseases and help people live longer. Many scientists believe that one day body parts will be cloned in laboratories. If so, diseases like diabetes and heart disease could be treated using cloned tissue and organ transplants. Millions of lives could be saved by this type of cloning, which is called therapeutic cloning. Genetic modification (GM) is another recent scientific development that has raised many issues. In GM, the genetic material of cells is altered to change the plant's or animal's characteristics. For example, scientists have produced plants which are resistant to disease and insects, and which therefore give better grain, fruit and vegetables. Animals have also been genetically changed. On the one hand, these developments can improve food production around the world. On the other hand, there are fears that GM food may not be safe. More research is needed into the effect of adding new genes into any animal or plant. Research is also needed into the effect of GM foods on the people or animals that eat them. In a recent case, a genetically modified vitamin tablet killed 37 people and damaged another 1500 for the rest of their lives. 173 QUESTLANGUAGE