Today’s theme: Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering means to directly manipulate the genes of a given organism, whether it’s bacteria or plants or vertebrates. The general technique is by now about forty years old. Nowadays there are myriad ways to do this, the latest one being CRISPR-Cas9 or similar systems of gene editing. Of course, no technology is ever completely “safe”. But the reality is that there isn’t a single example of a catastrophic consequence of genetic engineering. Hopefully we can keep it that way.

The Conversationalist

with

Mark Zastrow

science journalist

How did the idea of eugenics affect society back then? Does it have any real grounding in science or scientific theory?

Can Artificial Intelligence be incorporated into the human brain using this gene engineering technique, to create a machine-supplemented mind?

&

Professor Mark Kay

studies pediatrics and genetics at Stanford University

Professor Kay, you expect the treatment for rare immunodeficiency conditions such as “bubble boy” disease can come about in the next five years. Can you first explain what these diseases are?

How come these are first on the list that can be cured by genetic engineering?

Media Monster

Unnatural Selection

(The Outer Limits Episode)

Next week: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a ****

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