This timely volume explores the world of one of the most controversial scientific advances in modern history, the design and production of genetically engineered plants. Readers will examine the ways in which humans interact with and manipulate the natural environment, from the earliest origins of agriculture to the discovery of the universal genetic code to the possibilities of ending world hunger. Throughout the text, readers will find in-depth explanations of complex theories of heredity and of modern genetic engineering technology, while being invited to consider the ethical questions that underlie this great discovery.