Often regarded as the “Greatest Biotech Discovery” or the “Biggest Breakthrough in the World of Biology,” Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) is making history with its unique and versatile contribution to a variety of fields. Ranging from eradicating viruses such as hepatitis, herpes and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to improving food security, CRISPR research is uncovering technological advances that hope to enhance all aspects of society.

CRISPR is the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequence making up the immune system of specific prokaryotic, or single-celled, organisms. In 2013, researchers reported the existence of CRISPR-Cas9 System, which slices gene sequences at choosing. CRISPR-Cas9 is a particular version of CRISPR that is used by researchers due to its simplicity and adaptability related to genome splicing.

The main benefits of this system are the associated advancements in medicine. Genetic modification using the CRISPR-Cas9 System can transform plants to not only improve their photosynthesis rate and increase crop yield, but also develop into vaccines and human therapies. Additionally, CRISPR can help identify controlling genes for Alzheimer’s Disease resulting in potential treatments.

Cancer treatments are another possibility. Currently, clinical trials are taking place with 18 patients. Their genetic modification can hopefully lead to an increase in their immune system. This will improve their efficiency in fighting cancer cells.

Apart from medical advancements, CRISPR has the potential to eliminate the need for petroleum and natural gas. By genetically modifying a specific type of yeast that turns sugars into hydrocarbons, which can be used as a replacement for conventional fuels, CRISPR can reduce man-made environmental damage.

CRISPR is providing an alternate way to perfect human genetics. It can comply and revise certain genetic invaders in a similar way as human antibodies recognize pathogens. Critics say that CRISPR research is artificial, human-controlled evolution. According to a TIME Magazine article titled “How Gene Editing Could Ruin Human Evolution,” the emergence of designer babies can invoke overconfidence and a sense of hubris in the human population. However, its benefits to society not only could save the environment, but also save lives.