Biotechnology marks a new scientific revolution. It holds the promise of generating resources to meet our needs in the fight against hunger,disease and environmental disasters. However, critics argue that biotechnology will jeopardize evolution and add incalculable, self-made risks to the fragile conditions of life on this planet. By providing solid information about a new and fascinating scientific development and by exploring the complexity of its ethical dilemmas, this collection offers orientation in a difficult terrain and stimulates the search for answers adequate to the severity of the challenge.