Original version

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

Science in Action

Science In Action

Factual: Science & Nature

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

The BBC brings you all the week's science news.

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Science In Action: CRISPR & bioethics

Magazines & Reviews

GettyImages-1066011752.jpg

16/02/2023 GMT

CRISPR & bioethics

BBC World Service - Science In Action, CRISPR & bioethics

He Jiankui refuses to talk about his controversial genome editing of twin babies in 2018

He Jiankui refuses to talk about his controversial genome editing of babies in 2018. Ancient stone tools are unearthed in Kenya and we tune into the mysterious sounds of the ocean

In the decade since the genome editing capabilities of CRISPR-Cas9 emerged, research into novel medicines has boomed – but alongside progress comes new ethical considerations. Controversy erupted in 2018, when Chinese scientist He Jiankui created the first babies with edited genomes. After leaving prison last year, he’s now back in the lab trying to raise support for new research but refuses to discuss the ethical implications of his work. Dr Joy Zhang recently arranged a bioethics seminar and invited He Jiankui, it was the first time he’d agreed to engage with a global cohort of CRISPR scientists since returning to his research.

Going back in time from cutting-edge to ancient technology, some of the oldest stone tools ever used by human ancestors have been unearthed at a fossil site in Kenya. Professor Tom Plummer talks us through the findings and how important the tools were in our evolution.

And we immerse ourselves in the mysterious sounds of the Arctic and Antarctic, from singing ice to the man-made noises of oil and gas drilling. These dramatic soundscapes, created for the Polar Soundscapes project, showcase just how busy our oceans are. Dr Geraint Rhys Whittaker, composer and project lead, believes a novel approach may be required to prompt climate action.

Image Credit: Anthony Wallace

Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Harrison Lewis
Assistant Producer: Sophie Ormiston

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Science In Action

CRISPR & bioethics

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

About BBC World Service