2 ms·
> That works fine when it works. But when it doesn't work it can go completely to hell. One pathogen could conceivably wipe out a large portion of America's ent
by seanwilson 8y ago
> That works fine when it works. But when it doesn't work it can go completely to hell. One pathogen could conceivably wipe out a large portion of America's entire corn or soybean crop.
Can this realistically happen? Are there examples of this happening? If it's such an obvious catastrophic problem just waiting to happen why don't farmers or the government do anything about it?
- exhilaration 8y agoThe most famous example in recent history is the Great Irish Famine, a.k.a. the Irish Potato Famine: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)
- reportingsjr 8y agoThe most well known example of this is the Gros Michel banana. It used to be the main type of banana sold in stores until a disease called Panama disease wiped out nearly all of them.
- seanwilson 8y agoAre there more recent examples given this is from the 1950s? If not, is there a reason there aren't more recent examples?