The world’s largest study of the potential impact of genetically modified crops on the environment has produced an ambiguous set of results, according to a SciDev.net editorial. While both sides in the GM debate have sought to interpret the UK trials to suit their agendas - environmentalists argue that they demonstrate once again that GM crops are dangerous, industry that they are “flexible” - the real lesson for the protagonists seems to be different. For environmentalists, the lesson must be that even though such crops can be dangerous for the environment, they can also enhance it; for industry there is an equally important lesson, namely than blanket assertions that GM crops and the new farming practices they encourage will not damage natural processes - at least no more than conventional crops - are no longer credible.