Sir Richard Roberts was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1993. European non-governmental organisations and politicians have declared that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are dangerous despite all scientific evidence to the contrary. This has led to bans on research on one of the most promising technologies able to solve the world’s food and nutrition problems. In this public lecture, Sir Richard Roberts argues that ignoring the science underpinning GMOs and its potential to save lives is essentially a crime against humanity.