Economist Podcasts Gene genies: CRISPR’s critical moment
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Apr 18, 2025 
Emily Steinmark, a writer for The Economist covering technology, teams up with Leo Marani, the Asia correspondent based in Mumbai, to explore the revolutionary CRISPR technology. They discuss its transformative potential in healthcare and agriculture while addressing challenges like costs and regulations. The conversation also reveals unexpected factors driving Asia's gold demand beyond cultural influences and examines the recent surge of Kiwis migrating for better opportunities, highlighting shifting global dynamics in culture and economy.
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CRISPR's Gene Editing Revolution
- CRISPR allows gene editing that is faster, easier, and more accessible than previous tools.
- It enables precise gene changes without inserting foreign DNA, unlike traditional GM methods.
CRISPR Advances in Medicine and Agriculture
- CRISPR therapies show promise for curing genetic diseases like sickle cell and beta thalassemia.
- Gene editing also enables improved crops with better nutrition, taste, and shelf life.
CRISPR vs Traditional GMO Crops
- Unlike GMOs, CRISPR edits genes already present in an organism to harness natural mutations.
- This gene editing is more precise and accepted as it modifies existing DNA rather than inserting genes from other species.