Ep 8 – A Better You?

Episode 08 - "A Better You?" Genome engineering, CRISPR-Cas9, gene drives, designer babies, and so much more. Recent breakthroughs have given us the tools and techniques to alter the genetic code of living things around us and even dabble in playing with the very DNA that makes us human. But as the speed of these technological advancements accelerates, we have to ask, "Are we ready?" This week we explore all this and more in "A Better You?" - an in depth look at gene editing and what this means for us today and the very near future. If you want to skip straight to the good stuff and avoid the science talk, jump to 19 minutes. Chapters 00:00:50 Brief History of Gene Therapy 00:05:19 What is CRISPR? 00:08:21 2012 Cas9 Breakthrough 00:09:51 Benefits of CRISPR 00:19:18 Biohacking 00:33:27 Combining Tracking with Genetic Data 00:36:07 Gene Drives 00:44:10 Designer Babies 00:48:09 Unintended Consequences 00:49:50 Lack of Biodiversity 00:51:39 Social Conformity, Inequality, and Stratification in Society (and Sports) 00:57:09 Adapting to Underlying Societal Flaws 01:02:58 What Could Have Been 01:04:17 What Can We Do? A full transcript is available as well as detailed links and sources (plus credits and more) on our website ashesashes.org. Find more information along with relevant news and links on your favorite social network @ashesashescast. CC BY-SA 4.0