If you enjoy bread and cheese, you’re already enjoying the products of biotechnology. Something so simple as baked bread and aged cheese came from biotechnology thousands of years ago, all the way back to Ancient Egypt! Bread uses a very small organism, yeast, to make it rise, and cheese is filled with microbes that preserve it for aging or eating.
Modern biotechnology looks a little different, but it’s just as useful! You can find it everywhere, from the clothing we wear to the medicine we need. Here are just a few places where biotechnology affects our daily life:
Biotech in Food
You already know that bread and cheese have used biotechnology for thousands of years, but there’s a lot more that depends on biotech.
- Fermentation: Something as simple and delicious as yogurt needs microorganisms to ferment and turn from milk to a great breakfast staple. Even vinegar depends on fermentation to get that tangy taste!
- Crops: According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, biotech is a basic requirement for growing food! It can help crops resist pests, improve yield, and withstand harsh conditions.
A lot of our food depends on biotechnology just to exist! But biotech doesn’t stop at food; it shows up in our medicine, too.
Biotech in Medicine
Biotechnology is a major force in the world of medicine. In fact, medicine wouldn’t exist without it! The Biotechnology Innovation Organization lists these as some of the everyday medicines we use thanks to biotechnology:
- Insulin: Some diabetics are allergic to animal-derived insulin, so biotech came up with a way to make artificial insulin to save their lives. But biotech isn’t stopping there; they’re developing an inhaled form of insulin!
- Vaccines: Scientists take a sample of the virus and make a weaker version that our immune systems can handle. So when you get your flu shot every year, biotechnology is keeping you healthy!
- Home Diagnostic Tests: This can include blood sugar tests for diabetics, pregnancy tests, or COVID-19 tests. All of these were made possible by the innovations in biotechnology.
While medicine is deeply rooted in the advancements of biotechnology, biotech also helps shape our simple household items we use every day.
Biotech at Home
Ever wondered how your laundry detergent can break down the stains on your t-shirt? It’s biotechnology!
- Clean Clothes: Modern detergents have special enzymes that dissolve the grease and dirt on your clothes without harsh chemicals. This makes them clean, fresh, and safe to wear.
- Modern Fabrics: Synthetic fabric is one of the leading causes of plastic waste, so the University of California, San Diego, is working on making a new, biodegradable fabric with algae! This will reduce waste and still make comfortable clothes.
While biotechnology does simple tasks like making clothes and keeping them clean, it also helps us reduce our environmental impact!
Biotech in Conservation
One of the most exciting, and sometimes overlooked, roles of biotechnology is in protecting our planet.
- Pollution Clean Up: Scientists can now use living organisms to break down pollution and convert them into less toxic chemicals. This helps us clean up our air, land, and water and preserves our planet for future generations!
- Sustainable Materials: Biofuels are an important invention of biotechnology to replace the dwindling supply of fossil fuels and to reduce harmful emissions. Scientists use enzymes to ferment sustainable crops, like corn or wheat, into ethanol or biodiesel.
Biotechnology is preserving the future for the generations after us, but it’s also solving the problems we face today.
Solutions to Today’s Problems
Biotechnology is more than just labs and petri dishes; it impacts your everyday life. You don’t have to look for it at a research lab or a hospital; biotech is right at home! From the bread you toast and the detergent you use to your flu shot and the fuel in your car, biotechnology solves today’s problems.
But it’s not stopping there: biotechnology is evolving every day. In the next few years, we could see solutions to problems we haven’t even thought of yet. There’s always more to come with the field of biotechnology.
Interested in making a difference in everyday life through biotechnology? Learn more about the BYU-Idaho biotechnology degree [link to degree page].
Citations
Lone Star College — History of Biotechnology
National Library of Medicine (PMC) — Biotechnology Research Article
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) — Biotechnology Solutions for Everyday Life
Science Learning Hub — Enzymes in Washing Powders
University of California San Diego — Sustainable Dyes and Textiles
U.S. Energy Information Administration — Biofuels Explained
Environmental Law Institute — Bioremediation: The Power of Biotech in Greening Contaminated Site Cleanups