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Poll Shows We Want Those DNA Breakthroughs But Worry Scientists May Be 'Playing God'

POLL: Americans Split On Promise, Perils Of DNA Research
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Most Americans are excited about the possibility of scientific breakthroughs brought by DNA research, a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds. But the poll also shows that many people worry that the research could go too far -- and lead to scientists "playing God."

In the new poll, 71 percent of Americans said that they're excited about the possibility that DNA research could bring major scientific and medical breakthroughs. But 44 percent said they worry that DNA research involves unforeseen dangers. Thirty-three percent of Americans said they were both excited and worried.

Although the poll shows that optimism about the possibilities opened up by genetic research outweighs pessimism about potential ill effects, it also shows there are limits to where Americans think that research should lead.

Take the idea of cloning extinct species. By a 55 percent to 27 percent margin, most respondents said they were against the idea -- proposed by some in the scientific community -- of resurrecting woolly mammoths and other long-extinct creatures.

Americans seem even more wary about using DNA research with the goal of creating “designer babies.” Seventy-two percent said they would disapprove of efforts to create children with unusually high intelligence or other advantageous traits. Only 16 percent said they would approve of such efforts.

Perhaps because of those possibilities, most indicated that they were at least somewhat worried about the possibility of scientists "playing God" by trying to tinker with phenomena that they think should remain outside the realm of science. Thirty-five percent said they were very worried about that possibility, while another 37 percent said they were somewhat worried. A combined 19 percent said they were not very worried or not at all worried.

The HuffPost/YouGov poll was conducted Jan. 16-17 among 1,000 U.S. adults using a sample selected from YouGov's opt-in online panel to match the demographics and other characteristics of the adult U.S. population. Factors considered include age, race, gender, education, employment, income, marital status, number of children, voter registration, time and location of Internet access, interest in politics, religion and church attendance.

The Huffington Post has teamed up with YouGov to conduct daily opinion polls. You can learn more about this project and take part in YouGov's nationally representative opinion polling.

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Before You Go

Bizarre Genetic Engineering
Pollution-fighting plants(01 of05)
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Scientists at the University of Washington are engineering poplar trees that can clean up contamination sites by absorbing groundwater pollutants through their roots. The plants then break the pollutants down into harmless byproducts that are incorporated into their roots, stems and leaves or released into the air. In laboratory tests, the transgenic plants are able to remove as much as 91 percent of trichloroethylene — the most common groundwater contaminant at U.S. Superfund sites — out of a liquid solution. Regular poplar plants removed just 3 percent of the contaminant. (credit:University of Washington)
Venomous cabbage(02 of05)
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Scientists have recently taken the gene that programs poison in scorpion tails and combined it with cabbage. Why would they want to create venomous cabbage? To limit pesticide use while still preventing caterpillars from damaging cabbage crops. These genetically modified cabbages produce scorpion poison that kills caterpillars when they bite leaves — but the toxin is modified so it isn’t harmful to humans. (credit:File/Flickr:net_efekt)
Web-spinning goats(03 of05)
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Strong, flexible spider silk is one of the most valuable materials in nature, and it could be used to make an array of products — from artificial ligaments to parachute cords — if we could just produce it on a commercial scale. In 2000, Nexia Biotechnologies announced it had the answer: a goat that produced spiders’ web protein in its milk. Researchers inserted a spiders’ dragline silk gene into the goats’ DNA in such a way that the goats would make the silk protein only in their milk. This “silk milk” could then be used to manufacture a web-like material called Biosteel. (credit:File/Flickr:maessive)
Flavr Savr tomato(04 of05)
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The Flavr Savr tomato was the first commercially grown genetically engineered food to be granted a license for human consumption. By adding an antisense gene, the California-based company Calgene hoped to slow the ripening process of the tomato to prevent softening and rotting, while allowing the tomato to retain its natural flavor and color. The FDA approved the Flavr Savr in 1994; however, the tomatoes were so delicate that they were difficult to transport, and they were off the market by 1997. On top of production and shipping problems, the tomatoes were also reported to have a very bland taste: “The Flavr Savr tomatoes didn’t taste that good because of the variety from which they were developed. There was very little flavor to save,” said Christ Watkins, a horticulture professor at Cornell University. (credit:File/Flickr: Mr. T in DC)
(05 of05)
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CLICK HERE to continue on to Mother Nature Network to see the rest of these bizarre genetically engineered creations, including banana vaccines, less-flatulent cows, medicinal eggs and more!
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