Rant: I keep seeing people mix up GMOs and gene editing like they're the same thing | Genetic Engineering Debates

Tyler Kim · 2026-03-24T13:50:08.594342+00:00

I mean, maybe it's just me, but I see this all over the place. GMOs usually mean adding a gene from a different species, like putting a fish gene in a tomato. But gene editing, like CRISPR, is more about tweaking the plant's own genes. It matters because the rules and the public fear are totally different for each. I read a study from 2023 that said a new wheat variety made with CRISPR could cut water use by 15 percent, and it didn't add any outside DNA. So when folks talk about 'frankenfood,' are they even talking about the right tech? Has anyone else noticed this mix-up, or is it just my feed?

lindamartin6mo ago

My bio teacher finally made it click for me, @piper_smith.

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piper_smith6mo ago

Yeah, the "frankenfood" thing always gets me. I can barely keep my own plant cuttings alive, let alone understand fish genes in tomatoes.

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tara6236mo ago

Totally, it's like how people mix up any new tech. They hear a scary word once and it sticks for everything. Like how my mom calls every game console a Nintendo, or every tablet an iPad. It just shows how hard it is for regular news to explain science stuff without making it sound simple and scary. So GMOs and gene editing get lumped together as 'bad science food' even when they work in totally different ways.

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