Iida Ruishalme
Viewpoint: EU edges closer to embracing sustainable gene editing agricultural techniques but organic farming commercial interests remain key roadblocks
The current EU GMO-legislation, based on late 1990s understanding of biotechnology, would leave Europe without access to current and future ...
Organic vs. conventional farming: Which has lower environmental impacts?
A Swedish Food Agency report compared environmental impacts of conventional farming against those of organic farming ...
Viewpoint: Why ‘better safe than sorry’ is a bad approach when vaccine side effects present limited risks
[Adenovirus-based COVID vaccines like the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson shots] have been temporarily suspended in 18 countries in Europe, ...
Viewpoint: Link between bee death and glyphosate still a ‘far-fetched’ story
Glyphosate is a herbicide, in other words, it is toxic to plants. Its target enzyme is not found in insects ...
Why glyphosate and herbicide-tolerant GMO seeds aren’t threats to bees
Glyphosate is a herbicide, in other words, it is toxic to plants. Its target enzyme is not found in insects ...
Risk In Perspective: Hazard and Risk Are Critically Different Things
The difference between hazard and risk is a critical distinction. Hazard and risk describe two different but related concepts. The ...
Monoculture: Do intensive farming and GMOs really threaten biodiversity?
Many critics claim GMOs increase the practice of monoculture cropping, but is this accurate? Does intensive farming damage our land ...
Harmful, beneficial or no effect? Flawed European bees and neonicotinoids study could be misused to support ban
A widely-discussed 3-country study showed no clear impact of neonics on bees. Why did the authors appear to explain away ...
Conventional (GMOs) vs organic farming: Which is better for animals and the environment?
[Editor's note: Iida Ruishalme is a writer and a science communicator from Sweden who holds a M.Sc. in Biology.] I ...
Hobbyist beekeeping practices and rejection of chemical treatments major driver of bee-killing Varroa mites and disease
Hobby beekeeping is very common. A European Bee Health Report found that in many countries, the majority of beekeepers pursue the activity ...
UN Commission report promoting organics, critical of pesticides challenged as biased
A recent UN report grabbed headlines for dismissing as ‘myth’ the notion that pesticides are necessary to feed the world ...
Cause for concern over claims of “dangerous” glyphosate in wine, breast milk, cereal, etc.?
There is far less reason to worry about the 'dangers' of glyphosate when compared to other pesticide but many activists ...
Is the herbicide glyphosate, often paired with GMOs, especially dangerous?
Why do advocacy groups campaign against the herbicide glyphosate and not other far more toxic agricultural pesticides? ...
Could glyphosate cause other health problems even if it’s not carcinogenic?
GMO skeptics have raised health concerns about glyphosate beyond claims, proven unfounded, that they cause cancer. Here is what the ...
Does the herbicide glyphosate cause cancer? The GLP does a deep dive into the science
Glyphosate--an herbicide pioneered by Monsanto but now off patent--has emerged as a proxy for critics of crop biotechnology and intensive ...
European scientist: WHO’s IARC faces scrutiny over glyphosate cancer designation
One of the World Health Organization's cancer research bodies faces increasing criticism because of its questionable categorizations of numerous safe ...
Talking Biotech: Cell biologist, author Iida Ruishalme on glyphosate safety, dangers
Cell biologist, author and Thoughtscapism founder Iida Ruishalme's comprehensive assessment of glyphosate ...
Are monocultures the great evil of GMOs and modern ag?
Many critics claim GMOs increase the practice of monocultural, but is this really true? And is monoculture really detrimental to ...
Media and organic created myth: UN endorses small-scale organic farming over biotech
Based on one UN study of agriculture in the developing world written by GMO critics, many media outlets claim the ...
Engineering debates on GMOs: How to change minds when emotions overrule science
Discussions about GMOs often degenerate into shouting matches, especially on line. The science minded should consider the psychology of how ...
3 ways GMO rice could improve world but tech hurdles and anti-GMO protests block way
New GMO varieties of rice could improve nutrition, cut potentially dangerous arsenic levels and help combat climate change, but activist ...
How science of GMOs can refine our environmental values
Many humans care deeply for the environment, and I really appreciate that sentiment. In order for us to have the ...
‘Natural’ illusions: Biologist’s failed attempt to defend organic food
Swedish writer trained in biology had embraced organic food and farming for years as a safer and healthier alternative to ...
Organic foods claimed nutritional benefits rest on shaky anti-oxidant study
High Antioxidant meta-study criticized for being too inclusive, for not dismissing studies with flawed methodology used to support boasting claims ...
Are GMOs increasing profits of farmers and biotech companies at environment’s expense?
Many people, particularly those embracing organic foods, worry whether GMOs might negatively impact the environment. What does the evidence say? ...