Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), what are they?

Christian Vélot is a French researcher in molecular biology, working for the public domain. As a public researcher, he estimates a part of his duty to let people know about the researches all these scientists are working on. One of them is a burning topic: the Generically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
In November 2005, he gives a conference in Toulouse, France, within which he explains scientifically but in very simple ways the complexity of what GMOs are. What is a GMO, what different types of GMOs there are, the different problematics they present, why we should not mix them up and especially why we should be careful when listening to some scientists purposely mixing them up.

Fortunately a video has been made of this conference. Unfortunately for English-speaking folks, he is speaking French. For those who understand it, I really recommend to watch it, for others I will try to explain in English what he is talking about. (update 04/2011: ah, I was optimistic at the time)



For more comfort and a wider screen, watch it directly on Google Video.
(Update 04/2011: sorry, Google Video stops hosting videos – including this one – on April 29, 2011)

English Explanations (to be continued)

1. Definition of a GMO
2. Basics in biology to understand the manipulation of GMOs
3. What are the GMOs used for:
- GMOs in the basic research
- GMOs in medical research
- GMOs in the food industry
4. Health issues due to the spread of GMOs in the environment.