Hopin’ China’s reforesting tech proves sustainable. Also Prolekult/James Bell was mentioning hempcrete, which is another that I’d think would help a lot. Hopin’ for new sword technology. . .

  • glans [it/its]@hexbear.netEnglish
    18·
    3 days ago

    The technology of zea mays (corn). It was intentionally genetically engineered from the non-food Teosinte. I do not think the process by which this happened is currently understood by the collective of science. Then it formed a part of the Three Sisters. Unclear if this was part of the plan all along.

    I read about it in 1491. New Revelations Of The Americas Before Columbus By Charles C. Mann which is largely about technology and changed the way I think about the concept.

    And lets give it up for chemical dye. It’s pretty cool. Also dyeing with indigo is a totally other thing, also very cool.

      • glans [it/its]@hexbear.netEnglish
        6·
        3 days ago

        Do you have any specific info to share or just an opinion? Based on what?

        I understand sea mays is different than the development of other grains because the original plant was not food. Corn is a totally different organizism, not just a more suitable variety. Specific traits that were not previously present were introduced.

        https://bio.libretexts.org/Courses/Hartnell_College/Environmental_Biology_(Fisher_and_Dorsner_Custom)/08%3A_Food_and_Hunger/8.02%3A_Biotechnology_and_Genetic_Engineering

        An interesting example is maize (corn). Biologists have discovered that maize was developed from a wild plant called teosinte. Through traditional breeding practices, humans living thousands of years ago in what is now Southern Mexico began selecting for desirable traits until they were able to transform the plant into what is now known as maize. In doing so, they permanently (and unknowingly) altered its genetic instructions, allowing for new traits to emerge. Considering this history, we might ask the question: is there really such a thing as “non-GMO” maize?

        • Abracadaniel [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
          13·
          3 days ago

          Through traditional breeding practices, humans living thousands of years ago in what is now Southern Mexico began selecting for desirable traits until they were able to transform the plant into what is now known as maize.

          the bit I bolded is the key difference. genetic engineering is the new technology distinct from just breeding, it requires specific technologies. while the creation of maize is an impressive achievement, it wasn’t “genetic engineering”.

          https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_engineering