16 Why save endangered species? For the general public, endangered 7 A- e D0 c4 {5 i- d* s1 \+ F
species appear to be little more than biological oddities. A very dif-; X$ B! A- d# n6 @: Y6 i/ e
ferent perception is gained from considering the issue of extinction in a 1 j! e8 j% ~1 D9 B& F7 p
wider context. The important point is that many major social advances 0 A2 ? ?6 s. d. u9 ~' V9 i: r
have been made on the basis of life forms whose worth would never have
# C4 q; ]& `7 nbeen perceived in advance. Consider the impact of rubber-producing
! \9 C* q1 E) R% @& G- rplants on contemporary life and industry: approximately two-thirds of the
; G: X* Y0 n+ ?, P+ x! lworld's rubber supply comes from rubber-producing plants and is made
X4 X/ A4 U9 {/ hinto objects as diverse as rubber washers and rubber boots.! H: \( Z& f6 P$ O& I
6 O4 ]) a$ g5 }Any of the following facts could be used as illustrative examples in addi-
6 `- n: Q& q0 e8 ^4 w* otion to the example of rubber-producing plants EXCEPT:3 d' B* M) _7 Z1 } B5 X) I8 c
1 l/ f: Z3 r- I# y5 o4 F; {
The discovery of the vaccine for smallpox resulted from observing ( s+ i- n2 Y' \- S4 U
the effect of the cowpox virus on the hands of dairy workers. ' n3 T3 n7 M2 {" Q
The major source of our pharmaceutical supplies is plants, some of 1 \7 t( W9 W+ d% v+ d8 a, L% ]7 q1 Q
them commonly thought of as weeds. 2 S: o' B, @( a. D+ N
Certain antibiotics were originally derived from mold growing on
; T) a& c/ p9 y8 f/ L" t# r cantaloupes. , D& k! P$ A F0 [
Plastic is a unique product derived from petroleum and petroleum by-2 D& m6 ~: U9 {& {- }' J
products. ( Z2 [1 }* t9 h6 s; ^% u/ Q
Hamsters and other rodents have played an important role in labo-1 B! x. k1 s; n* A: Q. A6 t; t
rator y tests of medicine for use on humans. |