Why Gene-Edited Babies May Be Closer Than Ever

Short Wave

NPR

Daily News, Nature, Life Sciences, Astronomy, Science, News

4.7 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2025

⏱️ 15 minutes

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Summary

A Chinese scientist, He Jiankui, made a shocking announcement to the world in 2018: He had secretly engineered the birth of the first gene-edited babies. The birth of the twins was seen as reckless and unethical by the scientific community. That’s because, among other things, the CRISPR gene-editing technique Jiankui used was so new. NPR science correspondent Rob Stein has been following the controversial world of gene-editing and human reproduction, including some companies’ recent quests to push gene-editing technology forward.

Read more of Rob Stein’s reporting on the topic here.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This message comes from Rethinking, a podcast from TED. On Rethinking, organizational psychologist
0:05.7	Adam Grant talks to today's greatest minds about the ideas you might take for granted and what
0:11.3	assumptions you should reconsider. Find rethinking wherever you listen. You're listening to Shortwave
0:17.8	from NPR.
0:23.7	Hey, Shortwaver is Regina Barbara here.
0:29.4	A year before the pandemic hit, a scientist in China made a shocking revelation to the world.
0:34.1	He had secretly engineered the birth of the first gene-edited babies. Two beautiful little Chinese girl named Lulu and Lana came crying into the world as healthy as
0:41.4	any other babies a few weeks ago. The birth of the twins was seen as reckless and unethical by the
0:47.4	scientific community, because among other things, the CRISPR gene editing technique the scientist used
0:52.6	was so new. My colleague Rob Stein is here to tell us
0:55.9	about that now infamous announcement of the world's first gene edited babies, known as CRISPR babies.
1:02.2	Hey, Rob. Hey, Gina. Yeah, and I've been continuing to follow all this, including when China
1:07.4	imprisoned the scientists for three years for violating medical regulations.
1:11.9	His name is Heh Zhen Kui.
1:14.2	And I continue to follow this world of gene editing and human reproduction.
1:18.6	And this stuff, I just find it fascinating.
1:20.9	Not only is the science just amazing, it also raises all kinds of provocative, social, legal, moral, and ethical issues.
1:29.2	Yeah, absolutely.
1:30.1	Like, this is very controversial, and there's so many questions.
1:33.7	Right.
1:34.2	Would it ever be safe?
1:35.5	Would it be ethical?
	...

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