Definition:
Biotechnology is the application of scientific and engineering principles to the processing of materials by biological agents to provide goods and services. It encompasses a wide range of techniques for manipulating living organisms or their subcellular components to make products that benefit humanity, including the development of medical therapies, enhancements in agriculture, and the creation of renewable energy sources. Biotechnology combines disciplines like genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, embryology, and cell biology, and often intersects with information technology and nanotechnology.
Etymology and Origin:
The term “biotechnology” is derived from the Greek words “bios”, meaning “life”, and “technologia”, meaning “systematic treatment or craft”. The concept of biotechnology is not new; it has been around since the domestication of animals and cultivation of plants in ancient times. However, the term itself and its modern interpretation emerged in the 20th century, particularly with the advent of genetic engineering in the 1970s, which marked the beginning of modern biotechnology as we know it today.
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