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- Dr. Norman Borlaug, third from the left, trains biologists in Mexico on ow to increase wheat yields - part of his life-long war on hunger
+ Dr. Norman Borlaug (third from left) training scientists in Mexico to increase wheat yields.
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Here's a time line of Dr. Borlaug's life:
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1914 - Born in Cresco, Iowa
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- 1933 - Leaves his family's farm to attend the
- University of Minnesota, thanks to a Depression era program known as the
- "National Youth Administration"
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- 1935 - Has to stop school and save up more money. Works
- in the Civilian Conservation Corps, helping starving Americans. "I saw
- how food changed them", he said. "All of this left scars on me."
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- 1937 - Finishes university and takes a job in the US
- Forestry Service
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- 1938 - Marries wife of 69 years Margret Gibson. Gets
- laid off due to budget cuts. Inspired by Elvin Charles Stakman, he
- returns to school study under Stakman, who teaches him about breeding
- pest-resistent plants.
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- 1941 - Tries to enroll in the military after the Pearl
- Harbor attack, but is rejected. Instead, the military asked his lab to
- work on waterproof glue, DDT to control malaria, disinfectants, and
- other applied science.
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- 1942 - Receives a Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Pathology
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- 1944 - Rejects a 100% salary increase from Dupont,
- leaves behind his pregnant wife, and flies to Mexico to head a new plant
- pathology program. Over the next 16 years, his team breeds 6,000
- different strains of disease resistent wheat - including different
- varieties for each major climate on Earth.
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- 1945 - Discovers a way to grown wheat twice each
- season, doubling wheat yields
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- 1953 - crosses a short, sturdy dwarf breed of wheat
- with a high-yeidling American breed, creating a strain that responds
- well to fertilizer. It goes on to provide 95% of Mexico's wheat.
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- 1962 - Visits Delhi and brings his high-yielding
- strains of wheat to the Indian subcontinent in time to help mitigate
- mass starvation due to a rapidly expanding population
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1970 - receives the Nobel Peace Prize
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- 1983 - helps seven African countries dramatically
- increase their maize and sorghum yields
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- 1984 - becomes a distinguished professor at Texas A&M
- University
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- 2005 - states "we will have to double the world food
- supply by 2050." Argues that genetically modified crops are the only way
- we can meet the demand, as we run out of arable land. Says that GM crops
- are not inherently dangerous because "we've been genetically modifying
- plants and animals for a long time. Long before we called it science,
- people were selecting the best breeds."
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2009 - dies at the age of 95.
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📜 Timeline of Dr. Borlaug's Life
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1914 – Born in Cresco, Iowa
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1933 – Attends University of Minnesota
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1935 – Works in Civilian Conservation Corps
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1937 – Joins U.S. Forestry Service
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1938 – Marries Margret Gibson
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1942 – Earns Ph.D. in Genetics
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1944 – Moves to Mexico to fight hunger
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1945 – Doubles wheat yields
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1962 – Helps prevent famine in India
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1970 – Wins Nobel Peace Prize
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2009 – Passes away at age 95
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"Borlaug's life and achievement are testimony to the far-reaching contribution that one man's towering intellect,
- persistence and scientific vision can make to human peace and progress."
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+ "Borlaug's life and achievement are testimony to the far-reaching contribution
+ that one man's scientific vision can make to humanity."
-
- -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
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+ — Manmohan Singh, Former Prime Minister of India
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- If you have time, you should read more about this incredible human being
- on his
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