David Quammen: Viruses, Cancer, Conservation & CRISPR

In this episode, I sit down with renowned science writer David Quammen. We discuss the age of synthetic biology, tempered by ethical and practical considerations, and what it may mean for viruses, cancer & species conservation. David’s insightful, measured outlook is grounded in five decades of science writing, across dozens of books and hundreds of feature magazine stories.  Show Notes: 00:18 Introduction. 02:00 Contagious Cancer and Evolution 02:32 Virus Hunters & Zoonotic Spillover. 08:05 Bats: The Reservoir Hosts 12:30 Ethics & Engineering Viruses. 19:54 Viruses as Evolutionary Feature, not Bug. 25:29 Engineering Immunology 36:53 COVID-19 Origins and Vaccine Development 46:46 Individual Liberty vs Public Health 54:20 EV batteries & Congo Mining 57:12 Elephants Don’t Get Cancer 59:24 De-Extinction and Genetic Preservation 01:01:19 Conservation and Genetic Engineering 01:19:44 David’s Career