Survey for synthetic biology, bio-safety, global warming and our project

Method for Survey: Questionnaire

Starting time：2015-8-1

Ending time：2015-8-31

People were chosen randomly from internet

Data analysis：

The iGEM competition is an annual, world wide, synthetic biology event. This question is aimed to find whether synthetic biology is well-known in China or not and let more people know about this area. According to this result, only a quarter people heard about bio-synthesis before our survey. Over half of people did not know about synthetic biology before. Also, 16 people were not sure that they had a clear idea about synthetic biology. We considered that most of people did not have biological background. Furthermore, industries working on bio-synthesis have just been developed recently in China so that it is not popular right now. Therefore, we should provide some associated information for public. If people chose ‘B’ and ‘C’, the definition of synthetic biology would be displayed. Additionally, we found that they were also willing to search synthetic biology on internet and wanted to learn more about this novel area.

Provided definition: Synthetic biology is the design and construction of biological devices and systems for useful purposes. It is an area of biological research and technology that combines biology and engineering, thus often overlapping with bioengineering and biomedical engineering. It encompasses a variety of different approaches, methodologies, and disciplines with a focus on engineering biology and biotechnology.

As we know, synthetic biology can be applied in many area and even replace some conventional industries. We asked Dr. Liu, a biologist in our university, for which area could be replaced by bio-synthesis. She made a list including agriculture, metallurgic industry, cottonocracy and oil industry. Hence, we asked people this question to find if they knew the application of synthetic biology. Result was that most of people considered that conventional industries such as agriculture, cottonocracy and oil industry could be replaced by bio-synthesis. Particularly, the majority of people chose oil because they know biofuels have been widely used. However, only a few people knew that synthetic biology could be applied in metallurgic area as well.

Biosafety is an important issue in biological research as well as human society. We wanted to find if people knew about bio-safety and we hoped they could pay attention to bio-safety after this survey. Result was that less than a half people heard about bio-safety before and over a half people did not consider about safe problem. Therefore, we provided some information about biosafety after they answered this question; they could learn and start to think about bio-safe problem.

Provided information: Biosafety is the prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity, focusing both on ecology and human health. These prevention mechanisms include conduction of regular reviews of the biosafety in laboratory settings, as well as strict guidelines to follow. Biosafety is used to protect us from harmful incidents. A complete understanding of experimental risks associated with synthetic biology is helping to enforce the knowledge and effectiveness of biosafety.

Modern biotechnologies improve the development of human society in many areas, for example clinical treatment, biofuels and GMOs. Nonetheless, some people worry that biotechnologies may cause ethic or safe problem in human society. Hence, we ask people this question to find their opinions about biotechnologies. Result was that 32.5% of people agreed that synthetic biotechnology may cause safe problems. While, 28.75% of people considered it was absolutely safe. However, over one third people were not sure that it had positive effect or negative effect. We thought many people in China did not accept biotechnology, they worry it would be harmful to their heath. We should do more work to ensure the safety of biotechnology so that more people will trust it.

We wanted to find Chinese people’ views on climate change. Results are that over a half people considered the situation of global warming was quite serious and almost half of people felt that climate was changing currently. Particularly, there was nobody thinking the climate as same as that many years ago. Therefore, we can know Chinese people still cared about climate and had similar view that climate was changing currently.

We asked reasons for climate change, the majority of people thought we destoryed the environment and a few people considered it was the automatical processing on Earth development.

Most of people industrial pollution is considered as the most serious issue on environmnet as well as the most significant reason for climate change. Also, people thought the reducing vegetation and the destruction of eco-environment caused global warming. They did not view the urbanization and garbage were the main reasons.

CO2 is a type of warming gases, its uncontrolled emissions may result in climate change. We wanted to remain people of reducing the emissions of CO2 in their daily life. We found that people would like to enjoy green lifestyle such as riding bicycle, but they need more guide lines.

Two third of people thought our project is safe, while the rest of them were worried about safety issue. They argued that biology students may have operation mistakes so that these bacteria could separate into environment and cause danger. We explained that we had a serious trainning to prevent any mistake during experiments. Furthermore, any biomaterial in lab must be treated before entering environment.

GMOs are popular in US, they usually have better properties. However, more and more people concern about the safety of genetically modified food, though some authentic organization such as FDA or WHO announced GM foods are absolutely safe. We wanted to find Chinese people’s views on GM foods, thus we ask them question 5, 6, 7 and 8.

We listed many genetically modified foods, which were obtained from internet. Results were that the majority of people know the soybean was GMO as well as anti-virus pimento. While, less than half of people considered that cherry tomato, which means many people still did not it is genetically modified. Particularly, only a few people thought the potato with smooth surface as GMO, but most of people did not know. In conclusion, we thought Chinese people could distinguish some common GMOs, however some they could not. Therefore, more information about genetically modified foods should be provided to public.

We found that about 44% of people had bought and eaten the GM foods while only 4 people clearly knew that they never bought or ate any GM foods. We were surprised found that over a half of people were not sure they ate GM foods. Reasons for that is GM foods were not obviously labeled in China or they usually ignore the label.

Most of people thought that GM foods had good looking so they choose them. Many people thought they were delicious and contained additional nutrition. Also, many people were curious about GMOs and never saw them before. However, some people chose GM foods because the foods were cheap and no organic food was available. Additionally, a few people thought GM food could be preserved long time and had other better properties.

People who considered GM foods safe were less than those thinking the foods dangerous. Nonetheless, there were 60% of people not sure that GM foods is safe or not. We thought more scientific research should be conducted to prove this issue.

This question was just for fun.