01/07/2016 / By propagandanews
Bill Nye, the “Science Guy,” is a favorite childhood icon to many people, often touting the wonders of the universe with ease and simple explanation. He’s a trusted source, a man with a passion for science, someone who places value in understanding and preserving all of life’s intricacies.
Until now.
Sadly, it appears that Bill Nye has gone to the dark side.
You see, he paid the folks at Monsanto a visit. As if that’s not concerning enough, rather than conveying words of warning about his meeting with the GMO-loving people, he’s rather exuberant about his experience. In fact, so thrilled is Nye over the visit, that he feels it warranted a revision in his book, Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation.
In a Real Time with Bill Maher interview found on YouTube, Nye explains that the revision will occur in the chapter about genetically modified foods. “I went to Monsanto,” Nye tells interviewer Miles Leicher, “and I spent a lot of time with the scientists there and I have revised my outlook… I’m very excited about telling the world.” The interview ends with a rather giddy Nye declaring, “When you’re in love, you want to tell the world.” With that, Nye encourages people to read about the changes in the fall of 2015, when the updated book is anticipated to hit store shelves.(1)
His excitement in this regard can’t be mistaken; clearly, whatever he’s revised about GMOs in his book isn’t one that matches health-conscious people’s stance on the evils of Monsanto and GMOs.
To make matters worse, Monsanto’s Chief Technology Officer, Robb Fraley, has also shared enthusiasm over Nye’s visit by tweeting about the experience. On Twitter, he posted, “Thanks @BillNye for visit & advancing #science understanding. Look forward to more discussion!” The tweet also includes a link to the aforementioned video, already cued to the portion of the interview that only mentions Nye’s Monsanto meeting and subsequent plans to update his book. A picture accompanies the tweet; sure enough, there’s Bill Nye, donning a bright smile and bow tie, surrounded by several people from Monsanto.(2)
The disturbing change of views is even hinted at on Reddit where Nye (“sundialbill”), recently wrote, “I stand by my assertions that although you can know what happens to any individual species that you modify, you cannot be certain what will happen to the ecosystem.”(3)
This situation is also concerning because an earlier video, also found on YouTube, shows a very different Nye.
In that The Eyes of Nye video, he’s hesitant about GMOs, telling the world about how genetically modified crops should be thoroughly tested. He speaks of the importance of food labeling and even presents a scenario in which GM soybean crops impact nearby plants, which impacts the butterflies that feed on them and in turn provides bats with less food. With fewer bats, there are more disease-carrying mosquitoes affecting human health.(4)
There’s a distinct element of sarcasm and doubt in his attitude while he explains the process, in one instance holding up an ear of perfect-looking corn where there’s “not a kernel out of place” and that is void of blemishes. He even goes on to talk about how some people are trying to grow GM coffee plants that can produce only decaf coffee beans. Nye ends the video saying, “Let’s farm responsibly… require labels on our foods and let’s carefully test these foods case by case.”(4)
Who would think that in the future, he’d be standing alongside Monsanto — literally and figuratively?
It will be interesting to read Nye’s book updates, but it’s feared that Nye’s visit with Monsanto scientists has changed him, and not for the better.
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