Science Speaks
Fourth Issue of Double Helix Magazine Features Climate Change

Fourth Issue of Double Helix Magazine Features Climate Change

By Clement Dionglay

October 30, 2024

ISAAA Inc., through the Philippine Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Program Office's Know The Science: Paving the Way to Inclusive Knowledge Sharing and Policy Development project, has released the fourth issue of Double Helix, the first and only magazine supplement on agricultural biotechnology (agbiotech) for senior high school students taking the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand in the country.

Magazines are important in instruction and education

Magazines are a valuable resource for students, providing exposure to diverse topics and viewpoints on a wide range of subjects, from science to current events and pop culture. This allows students to explore areas they might not encounter in class and develop a well-rounded understanding of the world. They can also see different perspectives on important issues, which helps them form their own opinions.

Often overshadowed by digital media, magazines remain a valuable resource tool in education, offering visual appeal, engaging content, and real-world relevance that significantly enhances learning. Magazines also serve as a springboard for students' deeper learning. Articles can spark curiosity and ignite a passion for further learning. Interesting topics can be starting points for young people to do their research or explore related topics in more depth.

Lastly, magazines help literacy development. Magazines are written in an engaging and accessible style, making them a great way for students to improve their reading comprehension and vocabulary. Magazine articles are less daunting than textbooks, and the visuals can help break up the text and make it more enjoyable to read.

The fourth issue of Double Helix features climate change

The world faces major challenges as climate change affects agriculture and threatens farming while decreasing global crop productivity. Climate change is already affecting the planet in numerous ways, including rising global temperatures, melting ice caps and glaciers, extreme weather events, ocean acidification, and disruption of ecosystems.

Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to be a powerful tool in addressing climate change. By developing crops that are more resilient to climate stresses, such as drought and pests, and by improving agricultural practices, biotech crops can contribute to mitigating climate change and ensuring food security.

In the first issue of Double Helix in 2022, the eight-page magazine presented the process of developing a biotech crop, the countries where biotech crops are grown, biotech crops in the Philippines, Filipino biotech corn farmers, news briefs, and some cool and fun science activities and exercises for senior high school students and their teachers to enjoy. It has been highlighted in the exhibit during the 2022 National Biotechnology Week in November, reaching more students from different regions in the country.

The second issue of Double Helix focused on gene/genome editing. The magazine explains how gene editing works and presents two gene editing tools — CRISPR and TALENs. The issue also includes the current gene editing R&D initiatives in the country that are being conducted in various institutions. An article in the magazine also presents the genome-edited products in the market.

The third issue of Double Helix was about animal biotechnology. The magazine presents livestock innovations in the Philippine pipeline, GM-improved and gene-edited animals that are approved for commercial release and already sold in the market, AquAdvantage Salmon, and Aedes Friendly mosquitoes. Fun science activities called "Citizen Science" and "Find the 5 Differences" are also provided so students can enjoy them either in school or at home.

The fourth issue of Double Helix features climate change. The magazine contains a backgrounder on climate change written by Dr. Jaime A. Manalo IV, the Head of the Socioeconomics Division of the Philippine Rice Research Institute. A two-page spread on improved crops for climate change was written by Dr. Gabriel O. Romero, Executive Director of the Philippine Seed Industry Association, Inc.. Dr. Ernelea P. Cao, a Professor Emeritus of the Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman wrote an article on improved animals for climate change. The magazine also includes a one-page infographic on the contributions of biotech crops to food security, sustainability, and climate change solutions. A fun science activity with Klima is featured on the back cover page.

The pages of Double Helix contain links to resources for further reading and QR codes for information materials published on the ISAAA Inc. website that are related to the magazine's feature articles. Double Helix magazine is free to download from the ISAAA Inc. website. It is also free to use, and interested high schools can get in touch with the ISAAA Inc. team if they want to use the magazine in their instruction.

Download Double Helix issues from the ISAAA Inc. website. For inquiries, send an email to double.helix@isaaa.org

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