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Seeds of Science: Why We Got It So Wrong On GMOs Hardcover – June 26, 2018

by Mark Lynas (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 117 ratings
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In Seeds of Science, eco-activist Mark Lynas lifts the lid on the controversial story and misunderstood science of GMOs. In the mid-1990s, as the global media stirred up a panic about the risks of genetically modified crops, Lynas destroyed crop fields and spoke out in the press…until he realized he was wrong. This book explains why.

Twenty years after GMO crops became a source of controversy, scientists are working hard to devise new farming methods that will meet the world's food requirements while causing the minimum amount of ecological harm. We're now discovering that the environmentalist mainstream might have misjudged the GMO issue completely, and as a consequence we have forfeited two decades' worth of scientific progress in perhaps the most vital area of human need: food.

No one is more aware of this fact than Mark Lynas. Starting out as one of the leading activists in the fight against GMOs-from destroying experimental crop fields to leading the charge in the press-in 2013 Lynas famously admitted that he got it all wrong. Lynas takes us back to the origins of the technology, and examines the histories of the people and companies who pioneered it. He explains what lead him to question his assumptions on GMOs, and how he is currently tracking poverty by using genetic modification to encourage better harvests.

Seeds of Science provides an explanation of the research that has enabled this technology-something which led to countless misconceptions about a field that could provide perhaps the only solution to a planet with a population of ten billion people.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bloomsbury Sigma
  4. Publication date
    June 26, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    5.64 x 1.13 x 8.83 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1472946987
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1472946980
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A well-tempered, smoothly written book." - Kirkus

"Thought-provoking reading." - Publishers Weekly

". . . full of factoids that’ll make you rethink a highly debated subject, and also what’s really going on with those giant apples that don’t bruise or brown." - Bonappetit.com

"Lynas may have been brash and insistent in the past, but here, he is deliberate, thoughtful, and committed to setting the record straight regarding GMOs." - Booklist

"Partly a level-headed look at the benefits as well as the downsides of genetic modification, and partly a personal account of how Mark came to believe that the scientific method was, on the whole, not a bad way of analysing questions of crop production and farming. I found it riveting, largely because he writes so well and so open-mindedly, and I warmly recommend it." - Philip Pullman

"Mark Lynas tells the remarkable story of a mass delusion fuelled by primitive folk-science intuitions, sacred values, and disinformation from some of our most sainted organizations. His exposé is an important contribution to an issue with enormous potential for benefiting humanity, and a gripping account of the tensions that can surround technological progress."- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of The Better Angels of Our Nature and Enlightenment Now

"A gripping story of how a passionate troublemaker became an equally passionate campaigner for the facts. Seeds of Science is not only a compellingly-researched argument, it is the tale of how Mark Lynas's life changed. Reading it may change your life, too." - Tim Harford, author of Fifty Things That Made the Modern Economy and presenter of More or Less

"Mark Lynas is a courageous writer whose evidence-based turnaround on GMOs should be a lesson to all environmentalists. A must-read for anyone who cares about our future." - Simon Singh, popular science writer and author of The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets

"In short, Mark Lynas is a saint." - Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times

About the Author

Mark Lynas is a journalist, campaigner and broadcast commentator on environmental issues. He is a contributor to the New Statesman, Ecologist, Granta and Geographical magazines, and the Guardian and Observer in the UK. He lives in Oxford, England.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury Sigma (June 26, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1472946987
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1472946980
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.64 x 1.13 x 8.83 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 117 ratings

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Mark Lynas

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
117 global ratings
First Read to De-Demonize GMO, then to hear a Contemporary Account of Science Struggling to be Heard over the Noise
5 Stars
First Read to De-Demonize GMO, then to hear a Contemporary Account of Science Struggling to be Heard over the Noise
I was among the throngs in the 2017 Science March in Washington DC, which according to the Wikipedia authors included as many as 100,000. Other marches around the world were also well-attended. Washington's Peoples Climate March the following week was twice as large. Yet both marches saw an abundance of anti-GMO signage,with seemingly far less genetic engineering advocacy. The contradictions were jarring.Lynas, a former anti-GMO activist, does a creditable job to retrace his shift of opinion and to give all sides -- even the much-maligned Monsanto -- a fair hearing with appropriate context.In doing so, Lynas elevates SEEDS OF SCIENCE to a higher level; this is a book Dean Schooler Science, Scientists, and Public Policy, 1971, 338 pages with illustrations. or Thomas Kuhn The Structure of Scientific Revolutions might appreciate.Because .. .1. It demonstrates that evidence-based progress in science is deeply affected by organizational, political and social factors.2. It shows that scientists are not immune to emotional adherence to opinions whose basis can erode beneath them.3. It shows that despite polarization and rigidity in other sectors of society, within science it is possible for minds to be changed, and for science to advance, albeit along a jagged path. (Lynas cites Stewart Brand's seminal remark that ".. . the environmental movement has done more harm wtih its opposition to genetic engineering than with any other thing we've been wrong about" -- from Whole Earth Discipline: Why Dense Cities, Nuclear Power, Transgenic Crops, Restored Wildlands, and Geoengineering Are Necessary.4. It demonstrates that professional and government associations can be important, if not universally persuasive. Lynas cites the AAAS, WHO, AMA, National Academy of Sciences, British Royal Society among others -- as influencing his own views and helping to advance lay education broadly.5. Lynas indirectly warns that even as international groups edge toward open science, more flexible peer review, and less medieval publishing practices, even well-funded sources can be denied an equal voice. They can simply be shouted down, as has been done across the European Union.6. It shows how the confounding of multiple causes and consequences can lead to faulty populist reasoning, such as connecting GMO restrictions with the well-intended pesticide restrictions of the organic farming movement, as shown by this typical Amazon product label 365 Everyday Value, Organic Wheat Square Crackers, 8 oz. A closer reading of Rachel Carson Silent Spring, as Lynas argues early in this valuable analysis, should be undertaken by those on all sides of this fast-changing technology.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reader6647
5.0 out of 5 stars GMOs are not bad.
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2023
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It is frustrating to me to go to the grocery store and see so many "GMO free" labeled food in the aisles. Gmos are not bad in it of themselves and unfortunately they have a very poor origin story which led to so much mistrust in the present day. The author sets the story straight and he talks about the enormous potential along with the risks that will go along with this new science. GMOs are the future. Hopefully more people will embrace these technologies to help fight growing food insecurity throughout the world.
One person found this helpful
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JTSUKAGOSHI
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2023
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Highly informative
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Richard A Steeves
4.0 out of 5 stars Science prevails over fear of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2018
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Mark Lynas is a skilled writer, and his style and rigorous analysis did not disappoint me.
However, I didn't find the subject matter as interesting as his books about climate change and nuclear energy.
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bobbym
5.0 out of 5 stars MUST READ for ALL CONCERNED ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2019
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As a physician and scientist I found this book highly informative. It stresses FACTS and RESEARCH rather than hysterical and unfounded opinion. Those who accuse the Republicans and Trump of using the term "alteranative facts" should examine their own behaviors when it comes to GMO's (or more appropriately GM's or GE's). I do not work for any corporation and have actively fought medical device corporations and pharmaceutical companies regarding therr subversion of medicne. But I don't want to stop beneficial technology because these pirates subverted it! Greenpeace and others: If you have to lie and slander, then you don't have a valid arguement. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU DO! BE CRITICAL and SCIENTIFIC!
4 people found this helpful
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Robert D. Bernstein
5.0 out of 5 stars This Book Changed My Life
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2021
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For decades I was repeating horror stories of Monsanto and the effects of their GMOs and their evil corporate policies. I learned that every one of these stories was either false or greatly distorted.

I wish everyone on my side in the fight for sustainability and for the environment would read this book and learn the truth.
2 people found this helpful
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Bioengineer
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding analysis with scientific rigor
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is a comprehensive treatise on the issues surrounding GMO foods. The author of this book has intimate experience on both sides of this controversial issue. The book provides an in-depth scientific analysis of the benefits and potential hazards of GMO foods. The author obviously understand proper scientific method and appropriate statistical analysis. The book is well annotated with references to source material. A must read for everyone who eats.
One person found this helpful
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Worddancer Redux
3.0 out of 5 stars If what interests you is principally the science, this isn’t the book you want.
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2018
Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
I had hoped for more science.

But that is not the author’s project. (The title is misleading, I think.) The chosen path here is the politics/history of the pro- vs. anti-GMO movements/arguments. So be it. I wish the author’s reasoning/assessments/characterizations had been.....well....better.

There are several edited volumes that include both science and politics/history. By my lights, they are a better choice, whether or not you agree with the politics of their particular authors/editors (e.g., the Krimsky & Gruber, and the Ruse (et al) volumes).
3 people found this helpful
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Alyssa Marie
4.0 out of 5 stars Informational and easy to read
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2018
*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Seeds of Science gives a comprehensive overview on the current debate about GMOs, where the debate is at currently, the history of GMOs, and his own conversion from being anti-GMO to pro-GMO.

GMOs are a HOT topic–you can’t go anywhere without running into someone who has an opinion (usually a very steadfast, fiery one) on whether or not they’re good, whether or not we should be eating organic, etc. I appreciated this book for breaking down the history of how they came to be and why we might be so reluctant to adopt these foods into our society. It was incredibly interesting and I feel much more informed on the topic. Aside from the science, Lynas also goes through various areas that are trying to adopt GMOs and how the process works (or lags), which I found fascinating.

I’ve always been neutral on the topic of GMOs, since I don’t feel as though we really have enough information to make a judgment about them either way, so I was a good target audience for this book. Not super anti-GMO, but not super pro either. Of course, by reading this book, I lean more towards pro-GMO (I’m all for ways that can help countries and people avoid starvation), but I’ll still be keeping an open mind as research develops, something that Lynas also says is an important thing to do.

What really endeared this book to me is that Lynas dedicates a section talking about how debate, logic, and arguments work in our brain. He admits to being biased and even points out which argumentative tools he uses in the books. He also breaks down why it’s so hard to get people to change their mind on things. This, above all, sold the book to me. I love a person who is transparent about what their goal is and how they’re going about achieving that goal–especially since I couldn’t help but wondering how Seeds of Science presented the facts, versus what facts anti-GMO groups are operating on, and how might Lynas be smoothing those over? The fact that he points out he’s biased made me trust the book a little more and trust Lynas’s agenda.

Despite this book being rather informational and technical, this is an easy read. It flows nicely, and Lynas gives it a personal character by tying the information to his own thoughts, beliefs, and experiences. If I were teaching a history or science class in high school, this would be in my classroom, for sure. It could even work as a book to use in a curriculum about GMOs to spark a larger debate amongst students. And even if you’re not looking for curriculum stuff, this is an intriguing read that gives a lot of information about the topic in general. Definitely recommend.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Dr. John A. Heddle
3.0 out of 5 stars GMO plants, especially in Africa
Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2019
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An interesting but rather repetitive mea culpa. Excellent descriptions about GMO plants and their risks and benefits.
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Mr. J. G. Halstead
5.0 out of 5 stars not what you might expect
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2018
Verified Purchase
Lynas recaps some of the common points against the anti-GMO movement, but the book is a surprise. He tries to reach out to to anti-GMO activists on their terms. I hope it works.
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Ben
5.0 out of 5 stars Un sujet de société majeur....
Reviewed in France on August 1, 2018
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Que l’on soit pour ou contre, un livre à lire pour mieux comprendre les enjeux, les forces en présence et les tensions inhérentes aux OGM. Un sujet d’avenir dont chacun devrait se saisir afin de ne pas se laisser manipulé par les grandes instances quelle qu’elles soient.
Un livre écrit par un destructeur de champ d’OGM qui a trouvé par la suite qu’il avait tort. Une analyse intéressante qui devrait nourrir la réflexion de chacun et être mise en face de théorie contraire afin que chacun puisse se faire son idée.
En anglais uniquement pour le moment.
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SH
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Australia on July 29, 2018
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very insightful and well balanced discoures
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Dred1956
5.0 out of 5 stars read it debunks all the scare
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2018
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read it
debunks all the scare monger
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