This innovation will reduce the necessity for fertilizer, which is highly composed of nitrogen. Finally, biotechnology can increase the yield per acre of many crops. The next exhibit in this room shows that genetic engineering may be used to grow crops in areas that have a cold climate or poor soil quality. It consists of a large, wall-mounted map of the world, with all the areas in which crops are grown lighted by bulbs behind the map. When a button is pressed, areas where it would be possible to grow genetically engineered plants will be illuminated with different colored light bulbs, increasing the total area of crop growth on the map.
Visitors can then view an oversized picture of food being packaged.
Under this picture is a board explaining that transgenic foods may be more durable for shipping, ripen at a slower rate, and stay fresh longer. All of these improvements will help the food-packaging and shipping industries. A representation of a future supermarket aisle serves as the fourth display. It will be an aisle containing vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, greens, cabbage, spinach, and asparagus. This exhibit illustrates that in the coming years, vegetables may be genetically engineered to have increased health benefits.