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[–] qwop 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago  (edited ago)

GMO isn't about equivalent caloric energy. DNA is used to make proteins. When you modify the DNA, the cells start to produce proteins that never existed in nature before. These proteins can be toxins, they can be allergens, they may be both.

In addition to that, synthetic genetic manipulation may insert genes from a completely unrelated species into another species. For example, insert the genes of an insect into a fish. Something that never happens in nature (it is impossible to cross-breed an insect with a fish).

This video explains the basics of what is going on pretty well. Hope you learn something new.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU9LmFLaC18

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[–] Hey_Sunshine 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago 

I'll concede that gene splicing like he's talking about here could have dangerous ramifications. But how can it be said that modified cells produce proteins that never existed before in nature, when these proteins came from nature it's self?

I don't condone man trying to modify the DNA of other organisms, that's Pandora's box and needs to stay shut for the World's sake.

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[–] qwop 0 points 1 point (+1|-0) ago  (edited ago)

This is a good question. It is also explained a little bit towards the end of the video with the rat study and the GM peas. In the end they found that the GM peas produced a protein that had never existed before (but produced by nature none the less), and it was so toxic that they had to abort the whole project.

So yes you could call the protein "natural", as in "produced by nature", but it is also "unnatural", because nature would never have produced it in the first place, unless it was forced by man.

Forcing nature to do things which it would not do under normal circumstances, is at least for me what puts something like that in the "unnatural" category.

I hope that helps a little bit. So yes, it is possible to make nature do things it would not normally do, and in some cases, if we are not careful, it could be the Pandora's box like you say.