Isaacson’s new book, The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race, tells the story of how Doudna hit upon an invention that will transform the future of the human race: an easy-to-use tool that can edit DNA. Known as CRISPR, it opens a brave new world of medical miracles and moral questions. It has already been deployed to cure deadly diseases, including the fight against COVID-19, and to make inheritable changes in the genes of babies.
He’s joined in conversation by CNN’s Holly Firfer.