CRISPR

CRISPR Cas9 research into novel medicines has boomed

In the decade since the genome editing capabilities of CRISPR Cas9 emerged, research into novel medicines has boomed – but alongside progress comes new ethical considerations.

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Controversy erupted in 2018 when Chinese scientist He Jiankui created the first babies with edited genomes.

After leaving prison last year, he’s now back in the lab trying to raise support for new research but refuses to discuss the ethical implications of his work.

A CRISPR Cas9 seminar

Dr Joy Zhang recently arranged a bioethics seminar and invited He Jiankui, it was the first time he’d agreed to engage with a global cohort of CRISPR Cas9 scientists since returning to his research.

Going back in time from cutting-edge to ancient technology, some of the oldest stone tools ever used by human ancestors have been unearthed at a fossil site in Kenya.

Professor Tom Plummer talks us through the findings and how important the tools were in our evolution.

Sounds of the Arctic and Antarctic

And we immerse ourselves in the mysterious sounds of the Arctic and Antarctic, from singing ice to the man-made noises of oil and gas drilling.

These dramatic soundscapes, created for the Polar Soundscapes project, showcase just how busy our oceans are.

Dr Geraint Rhys Whittaker, composer and project lead, believes a novel approach may be required to prompt climate action.

Presenter: Roland Pease Producer: Harrison Lewis Assistant Producer: Sophie Ormiston

Image Credit: Anthony Wallace

More on this subject:

CRISPR changing the genetic code of living things.

CRISPR is the latest and most powerful technique for changing the genetic code of living things.

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