Includes bibliographical references (pages [375]-426) and index.

From the cover. A leading expert on genetics unravels one of the most profound scientific and medical breakthroughs of our time. If our genes are, to a great extent, our destiny, then what would happen if mankind could engineer and alter the very essence of our DNA coding? Millions might be spared the devastating effects of hereditary disease, whether it was the pain of sickle cell anemia to the ravages of Huntington's disease. But this power to "play God" also raises major ethical questions and poses threats for potential misuse. For decades, these questions have lived exclusively in the realm of science fiction, but as Kevin Davies reveals in his powerful new book, this is all about to change. Editing Humanity brings readers inside the fascinating world of a new gene editing technology called CRISPR, a high-powered genetic toolkit that enables scientists to not only engineer but also to edit the DNA of any organism down to the individual building blocks of the genetic code. Davies tracks the scientists on the front lines of its research -- including Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, the 2020 Nobel Laureates -- to the patients whose powerful stories movingly bring the narrative to human scale. Engrossing and page-turning, Editing Humanity takes us beyond the headline-grabbing "CRISPR babies" and sheds light on the implications this new technology can have on our everyday lives -- and the lives of generations to come.