Penn Jillette Interview with Dr Norman Borlaug [2/5]

Great man or greatest man? RIP Dr. Norman Borlaug, the man who fed a billion people (Mar 25, 1914-Sep 12, 2009). He saved more lives than any other person who has ever lived.

In this interview, Penn Jillette talks with the wonderful man who spent his all-too-short life making contributions to agricultural technology, and whose efforts are estimated to be feeding a billion people today. Subjects discussed include Dr. Borlaug's contributions to raising crop yields several fold, disease resistance, Leon Hesser's book "The Man Who Fed the World", the Nobel and World Food Prizes, a good discussion about Borlaug's opinions on GM opponents (part 4), and the need for universal education.

Dr. Borlaug died September 12, 2009, aged 95.

We'll forever be in your debt.

More Information:
► http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug
► http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203917304574411382676924044.html
► http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8253005.stm
► http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1970/borlaug-bio.html
► http://www.manwhofedtheworld.com/home.htm
► http://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Fed-World-Laureate/dp/1930754906
► http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn_Radio
► http://www.pennfans.net/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• norman
• borlaug
• dr
• doctor
• tribute
• memorial
• obituary
• interview
• nobel
• peace
• world
• food
• prize
• laureate
• winner
• science
• technology
• great
• hero
• green
• revolution
• agriculture
• agribusiness
• gm
• genetically
• modified
• leon
• hesser
• man
• who
• fed
• billion
• people
• high
• yield
• dwarf
• spring
• wheat
• grain
• rice
• rust
• fungi
• crop
• crisis
• famine
• starvation
• population
• penn
• jillette
• michael
• goudeau
• radio

[tehinfidel]

And fee-free on iTunes.

[tehinfidel]

All of the episodes of the radio show are and have been freely and seemingly legitimately available for years. I'll (sadly) take it down if, despite that, I am requested to do so.

[RawwestHide]

boy do i feel like a piece of shit knowing how much shit sucked and still sucks and how great things are for me

it bring upon a new appreciation for life

[BioLogicalNerd]

Most if not all biotech companies deliberately make it so that these plants cannot produce their own seeds.

This can be used to reduce the spread of GM crops if they are being tested. But knowing that a companies primary goal is profit:

You wouldn't be able to harvest seeds from your crop to store it for a few months, you would have to buy them from the company.

[scrappmutt2]

Just one question about genetically modified food plants: heard that they are unable to naturally reproduce these plants (ie they don't have growable seeds and need to be made in a factory). Do you know if thats true?

[unmevsworld]

Oh yeah. I forgot all about all those archives at pennfans. This can just give the name of Borlaug a wider audience.

[unmevsworld]

Thank you for posting this. It is good to get a idea of the man from his own words. I hope Penn doesn't mind, or whoever owns the copyright. Such primary source info needs to be out there to spread the knowledge about Borlaug. I was ignorant of him until I I got info about him from Penn about 6 months ago. It really opens your mind about the world.

[PierceHardwood]

Thank you so much for these. I'm ashamed to only have learnt of his death this morning.