Humanity’s Awesome, Terrifying Takeover of Evolution
About this episode
Biographer Walter Isaacson discusses his book The Code Breaker on Jennifer Doudna, CRISPR and the gene-editing revolution. He explains how CRISPR's programmable guide RNA makes genetic editing more precise and flexible than earlier tools, opening paths to cure single-gene diseases like sickle-cell — though complex traits like intelligence remain far beyond reach, and delivering edits to the right cells is a major cost and technical barrier. Klein and Isaacson distinguish somatic edits from inheritable germline changes and confront human enhancement, embryo editing, free-market eugenics and unequal access. Isaacson argues for cautious progression starting with clear medical needs, with the public — not just scientists — deciding how these powers are distributed, connecting the moment to mRNA vaccines, government capacity and techno-optimistic progressivism.