A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution

In the Epilogue, Doudna and Sternberg reflect on the expanding influence of CRISPR technology and its implications for scientific research. The chapter begins at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s second annual CRISPR conference, which drew 415 diverse participants representing the various stakeholders in gene-editing technology’s future. Doudna shares personal experiences from this period of scientific revolution, including conversations with her son about bacterial immune systems and her appreciation for her partner’s support in both research and family life.

A pivotal moment occurs when Doudna recounts a Silicon Valley executive’s claim that any engineering challenge could be solved with sufficient funding and talent. The authors counter this view by explaining that CRISPR emerged not from a well-funded targeted effort but from curiosity-driven research into bacterial immunity. To support their argument for the importance of fundamental research, they cite historical examples such as Fleming’s discovery of penicillin and the development of recombinant DNA technology through bacterial research.

The Epilogue concludes by emphasizing two key messages: Scientific progress should be guided by a desire to understand nature rather than predetermined technological goals, and both scientists and non-scientists share responsibility for ensuring that scientific advances benefit humanity safely and ethically.