> “is your research going to be patented?”

well, those are good questions. As frustrating as it is, scientists should be well aware that science doesn't happen in a political, juridical or economical vacuum.

This social sensibility should be part of the soft skills of the modern scientist. Same goes for engineers (let’s think about the Facebook crisis), or any profession, really.

Ideas have consequences.

Edit: Also that's is quite infuriating: "How am I supposed to explain the consequences of abandoning a technology that can help feed millions to Swiss students who enjoy the world's highest standard of living?" - if you think that the problem of malnutrition is mainly a technological/agrological problem, that's very disingenuous.