By Alyssa Cho Have you ever wanted to change your life, build your identity from scratch, eliminate all your imperfections? Imagine what could happen if you were able to change your DNA… Oh, wait, you don’t have to. Scientists are already creating ways to alter the genomes of all kinds of organisms using a revolutionary technique called CRISPR-Cas9.
CRISPR, a genome editing tool that is pushing the frontiers of biology, can make precise changes to DNA in a way that is more accurate, cost-effective, and efficient than any other existing genome editing methods. This simple technology which in essence only involves two components—an RNA molecule that targets a string of DNA and an enzyme called Cas9 that snips the gene—has supplied us with an astounding amount of power: we can correct disease-causing mutations, increase crop yields, and save countless human lives. On the other hand, misuse of this technology might lead to a new age of designer babies, a widening gap between the rich and the poor, and a plethora of other problems that could create irreversible changes in society. In the fiercely controversial debate about the future of CRISPR, there are two main points to consider: first, the successes of gene editing so far, and second, the possible outcomes that may arise from unregulated gene editing.
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By Emily Zhou During the inhospitable winter and spring months, the flu runs rampant around urbanized cities with high population density, initiating another season of terrible illness. We have become accustomed enough to its presence to perceive it as an almost harmless disease; in reality, most people are uneducated about the operations of this illness and, unfortunately, many still pass away due to improper treatment.
It’s not hard to imagine rummaging through the back of the closet for the one thing you swear you saw last week, only to be distracted by a landslide of memorabilia and nostalgia—the old cookie tin that still smells like butter and sugar when you crack open the lid, that rattles with odd marbles, colorful rocks and exclusive lego characters. Or maybe you have a binder of pristine, laminated cards, or a shoebox full of rubber ducks tucked under your bed. The point is, collecting is familiar to everyone. Even for those who don’t remember a childhood treasure box, it’s likely that they collect more practical items, like books, coupons, contact information, or even money.
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