Geneticist Jennifer Doudna co-invented a groundbreaking new technology for editing genes, called CRISPR-Cas9. The tool allows scientists to make precise edits to DNA strands, which could lead to treatments for genetic diseases ... but could also be used to create so-called "designer babies." Doudna reviews how CRISPR-Cas9 works -- and asks the s...

Should we bring back the wooly mammoth? Or edit a human embryo? Or wipe out an entire species that we consider harmful? The genome-editing technology CRISPR has made extraordinary questions like these legitimate -- but how does it work? Scientist and community lab advocate Ellen Jorgensen is on a mission to explain the myths and realities of CRI...

Biochemist Jennifer Doudna won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering CRISPR, a revolutionary biotech tool that can edit DNA with unprecedented precision and ease. But how exactly does CRISPR work, and what consequences may arise from altering our internal makeup? She talks to Chris about the remarkable effects CRISPR can have on our l...

From the smallest single-celled organism to the largest creatures on Earth, every living thing is defined by its genes. With recent advancements, scientists can change an organism's fundamental features in record time using gene editing tools such as CRISPR. But where did this medical marvel come from and how does it work? Andrea M. Henle examin...

About this video: For nearly a century, scientists have been studying the human genome to better understand what makes us, us. They began by identifying the genes, or the “letters” of our genetic language. Then they collected the first volume, the human genome. Now with the development of gene-editing techniques like CRISPR, scientists are explo...

In a story of scientific discovery, chemical biologist David R. Liu shares a breakthrough: his lab's development of base editors that can rewrite DNA. This crucial step in genome editing takes the promise of CRISPR to the next level: if CRISPR proteins are molecular scissors, programmed to cut specific DNA sequences, then base editors are pencil...

CRISPR gene drives allow scientists to change sequences of DNA and guarantee that the resulting edited genetic trait is inherited by future generations, opening up the possibility of altering entire species forever. More than anything, the technology has led to questions: How will this new power affect humanity? What are we going to use it to ch...

You've probably heard of CRISPR, the revolutionary technology that allows us to edit the DNA in living organisms. Biochemist and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Jennifer Doudna earned the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking work in this field -- and now she's here to tell us about its next world-changing advancement. She explains how her team at t...

From "elite" pickles to "premium" baby diapers, marketers are constantly telling us to seek superiority — but "by the simple law of averages, most of us have to live a life more ordinary," says sociolinguist Crispin Thurlow. He invites us to embrace mediocrity for a change, offering a different path to contentedness without comparison.

Gene-editing tools like CRISPR enable us to program life at its most fundamental level. But this raises some pressing questions: If we can generate new species from scratch, what should we build? Should we redesign humanity as we know it? Juan Enriquez forecasts the possible futures of genetic editing, exploring the immense uncertainty and oppor...

Can AI help us see beyond our human capabilities? Through a kaleidoscopic blend of technology, nature and art, neural artist Sofia Crespo brings to life animals that push the boundaries of creativity and imagination. Her artistic renditions of chimeras combine images of real-world endangered species to create something totally new -- with the in...

Paul Knoepfler is a biomedical scientist and writer focusing on stem cells and genetics.

Creating genetically modified people is no longer a science fiction fantasy; it's a likely future scenario. Biologist Paul Knoepfler estimates that within fifteen years, scientists could use the gene editing technology CRISPR to make certain "upgrades" to human embryos -- from altering physical appearances to eliminating the risk of auto-immune ...

Your DNA makes you, you -- but how does it work? These talks explore what we know about the genome, the unique genetic sequence that makes up life as we know it.

For nearly half a century, scientists have been trying to create a process for transplanting animal organs into humans, a theoretical dream that could help the hundreds of thousands of people in need of a lifesaving transplant. But the risks, specifically of transmitting the PERV virus from pigs to humans, have always been too great, stalling re...

Is it time to bring back long-lost species? These talks tackle the possibility of a world where Jurassic Park doesn’t seem so science fiction.

These eye-opening talks call into question some of the popular misconceptions, fallacies and exaggerated rumors of modern civilization.

What do we really know about mosquitoes? Fredros Okumu catches and studies these disease-carrying insects for a living -- with the hope of crashing their populations. Join Okumu for a tour of the frontlines of mosquito research, as he details some of the unconventional methods his team at the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania have developed t...

The age of bioengineering is upon us, with scientists' understanding of how to engineer cells, tissues and organs improving at a rapid pace. Here, how this could affect the future of our physical bodies.

Explore what may be in store for our collective future and how we can plan for the unpredictable, together.

On average, adults catch more than 150 colds throughout their lives. Even with similar symptoms, the cause could be different each time. Common colds are caused by at least 8 different families of virus, each of which can have its own subtypes. How can so many different viruses cause the same illness? And is a cure even possible? Explore the two...

With technical advancement comes great ethical responsibility. In these talks, amazing, life-altering feats of science make us ask: How could we mess this up?

Satisfy your curiosity on a cellular level with these talks that highlight the ways biology can be molded in the hands of the average, yet curious citizen.

Sofia Crespo is an artist who explores biology-inspired technologies.

Crispin Thurlow's work focuses on the way people manage their identities and relationships through everyday language.

The founder of the Innovative Genomics Institute, Jennifer Doudna earned the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work developing the groundbreaking genome-engineering technology CRISPR-Cas9.

Revolutionary achievements, important discoveries and astounding leaps of progress that have fundamentally transformed the scientific world.

An exploration of the ethics around CRISPR's gene-snipping technology yields new insights on how to harness a biotechnology that's powerful enough to alter humanity. In the world of biology -- and coming soon to the wider world -- enthusiasm and optimism continue to spread about CRISPR, a technology that allows precise editing of DNA. If you...

Some biological structures are so small that scientists can't see them with even the most powerful microscopes. That's where molecular animator and TED Fellow Janet Iwasa gets creative. Explore vast, unseen molecular worlds as she shares mesmerizing animations that imagine how they might work.

Something huge is coming, and it sounds like an ad for a bag of potato chips. CRISPR, which makes gene editing so cheap and easy a talented high schooler could do it, is the latest technology that promises to radically change the world. But what exactly can it do, and what are the potential dangers? Journalist Jennifer Kahn is here to exp...