Biotechnology, a term coined in 1917 by Karl Ereky, is defined as the manipulation of living organisms for purposes other than their original intent. Biotechnology research is often driven by the desire to improve the quality of life that humans experience here on earth and is used to find solutions to modern problems. General opposition to the many variations of this type of research is driven by concern about the unknown effects of altering the environment of the natural world and the ethics of doing so. While the term may sound futuristic, agricultural biotechnology is almost as old as civilization itself. Agriculture, in its most basic sense, is biotechnology and it all started with food. To have a proper understanding of current biotechnology practices, you need to know where the concept began. About 10,000 years BC in the lower Nile Valley of Egypt, our Neolithic ancestors domesticated crops and animals when they realized that the soil beneath them was very fertile. Early farmers selected particular plants to grow, primarily wheat and barley, and saved the seeds for the following season. Over the years, they breaded the seed varieties they liked and adapted their methods each season to increase production. This allowed them to transition from hunters and gatherers to farmers. Almost 9,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians unknowingly used the fermentation process to leaven bread dough and produce beer. In 1492, Native Americans introduced Europeans to the corn plant, and from there corn was transported around the world. In 1866, Gregor Mendel experimented with pea plants, and his conclusions about the nature of genetic inheritance became the basis of modern genetics. In 1965, Robert Hooke coined the term “cell,” which began the path of genetic manipulation. Many scientists