God's Knife: A Science Book on a Brief History of Gene Editing.

Just this year's World Reading Day by virtue of their popular science book "the biology of eating" won the 12th Wenjin Book Award, Zhejiang University Institute of Life Sciences "after 80" professor Wang Liming turned around and appeared at the launch of his new book.
The Knife of God is a popular science book on the brief history of gene editing and a "work of ambition" by Wang Liming.
because what he wants to say is a big topic about history and the present, and connecting the future! Presenting the logic of scientific development In April 2015, Huang Jun, an associate professor at Sun Yat-sen University, announced the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology in human embryos to modify genes that could lead to beta thalassemia.
Although the laboratory uses fertilized eggs that are defective and cannot normally develop into mature embryos, and has passed on-campus ethical reviews, gene editing involving reproductive cells has quickly caused controversy at home and abroad.
It is precisely because of this incident, Wang Liming moved to talk about gene therapy and gene editing on his WeChat, did not expect to eventually attract the attention of Zhanzhan cultural book editors.
As a scientist, Wang Liming was described by his peers as a master of telling stories in "human words", and he used the language of the novel to present a scientific history of molecular biology, not just knowledge of the technology.
what kind of scientific discovery is derived from gene editing, why do scientists think it's right, and under what circumstances people might categorically deny it, what's the use of it, and where it's going to go in the future... Commenting on the book, Yu Jingfang, a 2016 Hugo Prize winner and author of "Beijing Folding," wrote: 'Whether a book leaves a problem for the reader is more important than whether it leaves a knowledge for the reader.
an interview with China Science Daily, Wang Liming admitted that doing science is not in itself to spread specific scientific discoveries to the public in popular ways.
fact, I personally don't think the public really needs to know so much about science.
, today's science is already a highly specialized field and is not easily understood by outsiders.
, ordinary people living in this era still need to understand science, because the impact of science and technology on human beings is too big and far-reaching.
it would be helpless not to understand the logic of science, but instead, you can live confidently in the world where technology explodes today.
", he set himself the direction of writing, precisely where science and technology came from, what it means to mankind, and where it is possible to bring human beings.
the logic of scientific development is of the importance to everyone, and gene editing is right on the line between history and the future.
"What is the future of gene editing" When molecular organisms reach a certain level of manipulation and analysis of biological molecules, the discipline faces its ultimate goal: to change the nature of living things through the reassemassesment of genes, until new organisms are created... At this time, people were surprised to find that the creation of life is actually a program, God turned out to be a programmer.
"at the launch of "God's Knife", Wang Liming never forgot to share with readers a passage from the sci-fi writer Liu Cixin's work "Angel Age".
sci-fi was once a door to the scientific world, and until now he was a hardcore sci-fi fan.
science fiction is about the future, but in fact, scientists don't like to talk about the future.
who do the research know that uncertainty is important, and predicting the future is often a very unreliable thing.
even the greatest scientists, politicians and science fiction writers in history are often punched in the face when discussing the future.
certainly don't think I'm smart enough to predict the future.
," Wang said.
, according to the logic of the development of science and technology, he still used a lot of space in the book to clearly express his views on the evolution of gene editing technology.
believes that one day gene-editing technology will expand from the treatment of specific genetic diseases to more diseases, followed by preventive applications, such as modifying BRCA1/2, a genetic mutation that is very likely to lead to malignant cancer.
the end of this evolution is to edit human reproductive cells directly, to keep children away from certain diseases from the moment they are born, and even to make them smarter and more beautiful.
this path, humanity will begin to move away from the imprint left by natural history and begin to create itself.
technology is neutral, but Wang Liming doesn't just defend it, even using the sci-fi author's tone to admit that such technology applications could create a world of demons.
He understood the deep concerns and noted that the most serious consequence of the application of the technology would be to destroy the diversity of human genes and completely lose the biological basis for dealing with future environmental changes;
genetic editing, of course, requires the attention and thinking of ordinary people, and it's not just the scientists themselves.
is not so much ethics as regulating that it's really a science book, not a science fiction or futurist work.
technology applications are risky, but do not necessarily create a dark future, people should be wary rather than afraid of the emergence of new science and technology.
"Green Mountain can not hide, after all, the east flow", which is Wang Liming stressed the basic point of view, he does not shy away from the contradiction between technology and ethics.
history has always been the development of science and technology to promote social change, promote the evolution of values, break through traditional ethics.
as long as a scientific discovery is correct, or a technological invention is good for people's lives, no social custom or ethic can really stop them from applying.
, contraception, autopsies, IVF are all examples, and there's no reason to think that gene editing won't be next.
," he told readers, and earlier this year the National Academy of Sciences released a report, "Human Genome Editing: Science, Ethics, and Management," for the first time.
although in the report, the use of the technology is carefully limited to treating congenital genetic disorders, rather than changing attributes such as height, IQ, and appearance.
" in fact, simply prohibiting scientists from legally studying a particular technology tends to push relevant technology research into the dark.
" Therefore, he is open to editing the study of human reproductive cells, on the one hand, on the other hand, also shows that when it comes to the application of human technology, rather than resorting to ethics or using public opinion to repress, it is better to use strict professional supervision and legal constraints.
For example, limiting the proliferation of key technical details, tracking and controlling the flow of critical laboratory equipment and raw materials, strengthening the training of relevant technical personnel, and regulating the working standards of relevant research and application institutions can greatly reduce the social risks associated with technological progress.
in Wang Liming's view, the maturity of the management system should be synchronized with the maturity of science and technology.
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