Re: early genetic engineering

Torsten Brinch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> On Sat, 15 Nov 2003 23:10:09 -0600, Dean Hoffman
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
> >         http://www.journalstar.com/nebraska.php?story_id=98162
> 
> "Ancient Americans were changing corn genes through selective breeding
> more than 4,000 years ago, according to researchers <snip>"
> 
> Bwahahahahaha.  One cannot  change genes through selective breeding.

You are correct that one cannot change genes through selective
breeding, on an individual basis.  But one can change the genes of a
particular species by selective breeding.  Since "genes" in the qoted
sentence is qualified by "corn" proceeding it, the the statement is
correct.  It could have been stated more clearly if the person making
the statement would have said that ancient Americans were changing the
genetic make up of corn through selective breeding more than 4,000
years ago.  But with the current state of journalism, I'm just glad
that they spelled most of the words correctly.