How Gene Editing Could Ruin Human Evolution

Aggregated News

http://time.com/4626571/crispr-gene-modification-evolution/

Silhouette of a baby. The baby's back is turned away from the camera, facing a window with sunlight. A rubber duck and several other toys are placed on the baby's side.

CRISPR snips away risky genes—but even the bad have good in them

In the 1960s, Thomas Kuhn suggested that scientific ideas undergo fits of revolution, challenging the foundation of establishment science. But it was Peter Galison who emphasized the impact of a tool or method, and encouraged the notion that technology creates the tangible breach or disruption of a field. Alfred Hersey, in a similar spirit, once told a colleague, “ideas come and go, but a method lasts.”

CRISPR-Cas9, the new gene modification tool, which has been heralded as a means for inserting ourselves into evolution, is itself evolving as a technology, even as you read this. That technology itself can evolve means there is greater urgency for how we think of our biology: either as a machine (which can break down and get new spare parts) or as part of ecology (whereby breakdown is not necessarily bad and can be part of growth, renewal or reorganization). CRISPR may be used to repair a gene that has a deficient product, such as an enzyme or receptor...

Human Genetic Modification

Genomics

U.S. Federal

A "Post-Human" Future?

The FDA gives the green light to the first gene therapy for deafness

By Rob Stein, NPR | 04.23.2026

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The Food and Drug Administration approved the first gene therapy to restore hearing for people who were born deaf.

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Human Genetic Modification

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Aggregated News

Two companies that launched last year with plans to create gene-edited babies have already shut down, citing money issues and internal conflict.

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Human Genetic Modification

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"Si on en prouve la sûreté, nous croyons que l’édition préventive du génome pourrait être l’une des technologies de santé les plus importantes du siècle. » Lucas Harrington explique ainsi le but de son entreprise Preventive : créer des bébés génétiquement modifiés...

Human Genetic Modification

Creating Baby Geniuses to Thwart the AI Threat? (Yes, Really.)

By Abby Vesoulis, Mother Jones | 04.18.2026

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Two years ago, we devoted an entire issue to the rise of the American oligarchy. Since then, our oligarchic system has become more entrenched and pervasive, revolving around a small crew of tech titans whose quest for wealth and...

Genetic Selection

How Gene Editing Could Ruin Human Evolution

Perspectives

CRISPR snips away risky genes—but even the bad have good in them

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