Genes are isolated from one organism and then transferred in the laboratory into the cells of another organism using unnatural biochemical and genetic techniques. Using traditional breeding practices, it is possible to cross one kind of tomato with another or to mate one kind of fish with another, but it is impossible to mate a tomato with a fish. In addition, they have taken genes from a wide range of other organisms, including human beings, pigs, bacteria, viruses, insects and even scorpions and transferred those into the foods we eat. In fact, it is now possible to take genes from any organism and transfer these genes into any other organism. There are only two limitations, which are the creativity of the scientists and their good judgment.
Human creativity knows no bounds.
We also know that we do not always have the best judgment. Out of the juxtaposition of these two limitations come many of the serious problems with genetic engineering. These dangers will become even more apparent by considering what genetic engineering really is. If we look inside the nucleus of the cells of any plant or animal, we find chromosomes. Within these chromosomes, we find a strand of DNA, a DNA molecule, which carries genetic information segmented into what we call genes.