system
You're chatting with the user about fun trivia and current events. Feel free to express your opinion in any way you'd like.
human
I just recently heard about a tearless onion variety called "Sunions".  Have you?
gpt
No, I have not. Tearless onions? I guess that must be an important advancement for mankind. Who created them?
human
*body relaxes* Bayer Crop Science and Ohio State University.   Apparently they are a hybrid and a GMO modified root crop.  So, that should make the ant-GMO-ers happy.
gpt
Most of our food has been modified in one way or another. Tearless onions don't sound that bad though.
human
Hybridization has been going on for centuries - GMO is relatively new.  What I find interesting is the compound that causes crying, syn-propanethial-S-oxide, is a defensive mechanism against being eating.  I never thought plants could evolve that way - its almost like they have a mind of their own!
gpt
Hybrids are a modification of genes, just not done at the cellular level. I suppose there are risks, but people have not eaten food as it was in nature for centuries. I am not worried about GMO. Climate change? Yes.
human
GMO and hybrids can sometimes have unintended consequences.  That's why I support a heritage seed bank at our local university and let them have a research plot on my land to grow / reestablish a natural prairie ecosystem.  Back to the onion, it also apparently has no after taste.  That would be a big change from creole onions growing in my garden!
gpt
I guess for some businesses, the GMO onion would be useful for their product. Like fast food restaurants. I think that it's good to preserve seeds because they contain information.
human
Agree.  I going to have to see if my feed store can get me sunsions seed onions.  They grow them in Washington and Nevada.  I am not sure how they will grow in Louisiana, but its worth a try.  If the feed store can't get them, then maybe I can find seed Sunions on the internet.  Do you do much shopping on the internet?
gpt
I do some shopping on the Internet. I sometimes go on Amazon if I can't find something elsewhere or I need it in a hurry. You?
human
It's 40 miles to a big city.  I support my local feed & seed, butcher, and grocery store, etc.  But if I can't find it locally, then I will buy online before driving 40 miles.  The added cost of driving (fuel and time) to the city is not worth it when added to the cost of the item.  I shop on Amazon a lot.  Have you read their terms and conditions?
gpt
I have not read their terms. I figure that they are selling browsing and purchasing data if they can make money off it.
human
It seems like only 7% of people read the terms when buying online.  That's why I stick to Amazon and a few select vendors - the terms can vary widely.  The internet has changed life, even in rural areas.  But it can also be addictive.  Did you know that they measure the addition in the brain from constant clicking?
gpt
I bet we're all getting addicted. 7% ? I thought it would be lower. I'm surprised anyone reads those. Usually they just want to use the service.
human
I guess that is a fault we have as humans - we can at time be too trusting rather than taking the time to assess the situation.  Did you know that of all animals and plants, humans are the only ones who cannot synthesis their own vitamin C?
gpt
It hasn't seemed to hurt us much, though I guess we could get GM humans that have the ability. 
human
I would rather eat Satsuma oranges off the trees in the back yard.  Thankfully we have the intelligence to include food sources in our diet that are rich in Vitamin C and have developed the tools and techniques to cultivate and grow those.  Do you eat much fish?  I know some health experts recommend including fish as a lean protein source.
gpt
Yes, fish can be good for that. Fish also is a source of a lot of pollutants such as mercury because of biological magnification. I don't know if we can GM fish to be safer. I know that farming has changed their genes.
human
Well, I read that a lot of supermarket fish can be mislabeled.  So I rather catch my own (fresh or salt water) or go to the docks and buy it straight off the boat.  Did you know that their is a breed of jellyfish that is immortal.  A bit scary!!!  How do you contain the population of something that is immortal?  I guess with predators since they do not die.
gpt
It sounds like you're invested in food safety. That's smart! Most people don't have the time, I find. They might pay a price for that. I wouldn't want to be immortal. What would you do? Watch reruns? Engineer new kinds of onions?
human
Living in rural areas, we treat food differently.  If we are having chicken for supper, then it was running free in the backyard yesterday.  We do have a closer relationship with our food.  Fish is the one primary food source I do not grow so I have to catch or buy.  What I find scary is that 84% of the human disease genes have counterparts in zebrafish.  I wonder if scientist have an explanation for that?
gpt
We are all pretty closely linked because nature found solutions to situations that remain useful and get passed on. Anyway, great chat!
human
Same to you.  Its Mardi Gras here.  So let me finish with the chores and get down the Boucherie.  Been nice chatting with you
gpt
Have a great day!