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80% of Americans Support Labelling for Foods "Containing DNA"

posted by martyb on Friday January 23 2015, @01:29PM   Printer-friendly
from the DNA->SNA->SLA->TLA->TBA->NBA->NBC->NEC->SEC->SEO->SCO->TCO->TMO->GMO dept.

tonyPick writes:

The Washington Post contains an article on a recent survey by Oklahoma State University where over 80 percent of Americans support “mandatory labels on foods containing DNA,”

The Oklahoma State survey result is probably an example of the intersection between scientific ignorance and political ignorance, both of which are widespread.The most obvious explanation for the data is that most of these people don’t really understand what DNA is, and don’t realize that it is contained in almost all food. When they read that a strange substance called “DNA” might be included in their food, they might suspect that this is some dangerous chemical inserted by greedy corporations for their own nefarious purposes.

The article discusses the wider issue of scientific ignorance driving policy decisions, and there is some further comment at io9. A summary of the full survey results is available (PDF).

 
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  • (Score: 2) by E_NOENT on Friday January 23 2015, @02:29PM

    by E_NOENT (630) on Friday January 23 2015, @02:29PM (#137245) Journal

    I was going to mention the dihydrogen oxide stuff as well.

    This just in: Simple concepts can be expressed in a way that makes them sound complicated, and given the right context, people reflexively assume the worst!

    It's all sensationalist clickbat.

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  • (Score: 2) by MrNemesis on Friday January 23 2015, @04:58PM

    by MrNemesis (1582) on Friday January 23 2015, @04:58PM (#137312)

    You might very well glibly say that from the comfort of your home, but how would you feel if you knew that agents working under the Democrats are allowing hydric acid to pollute the water supply of states that predominantly vote Republican? And that neither the president, CDC or FEMA plan to do anything about it?

    What's next, children's ice cream?

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    • (Score: 2) by HiThere on Saturday January 24 2015, @12:54AM

      by HiThere (866) on Saturday January 24 2015, @12:54AM (#137495) Journal

      Hydric acid??? I suppose you're saying H+ + OH-, but wouldn't that by hydroxic acid or something. Hydric acid should describe any acid at all, as the H+ ion is practically(?) the definition of acid.

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    • (Score: 2) by dyingtolive on Saturday January 24 2015, @09:56PM

      by dyingtolive (952) on Saturday January 24 2015, @09:56PM (#137696)

      If I were him, I'd continue speaking glibly until I saw I was in a red state. :(

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