A “working draft” of the genetic blueprint of rice has been completed, making
it the first crop plant to be sequenced. Leroy Hood and his colleagues at the
University of Washington in Seattle finished the job in three years on behalf of
Monsanto. The company has made the draft openly available to researchers who
register, but it expects first refusal on licenses for patented inventions. Tony
Combes of Monsanto says this is the company’s first major gesture since its
chairman, Bob Shapiro, apologised for “arrogance”
(New Scientist, 16 October 1999, p 7).
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Autism may have two distinct subtypes that vary by brain activity
2
A quantum state that lasts forever may finally be within our grasp
3
Sperm have been made magnetic to allow IVF inside the body
4
The secrets to keeping your brain sharp in old age
5
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
6
Why autism pioneer Uta Frith wants to dismantle the spectrum
7
Walking shark found in Papua New Guinea is new to science
8
Has the answer to life's origins been hiding in our cells all along?
9
Arctic Ocean reaches tipping point that could be dire for marine life
10
Why you need to future-proof your brain in middle age and how to start
