He Jiankui, the Chinese biophysicist whose controversial 2018 experiment led to the birth of three gene-edited children, says he’s returned to work on the concept of altering the DNA of people at conception, but with a difference.
This time around, he says, he will restrict his research to animals and nonviable human embryos. He will not try to create a pregnancy, at least until society comes to accept his vision for “genetic vaccines” against common diseases.
During an exclusive subscribers-only live interview with MIT Technology Review last week, He defended his past research and revealed he only has one regret. Read more about what he had to say.
—Antonio Regalado
From Meta CTO to climate tech investor: Mike Schroepfer on his big pivot
The more Mike Schroepfer learned more about global warming in 2020, the more he came to believe he had a role to play. By leveraging his technical expertise and financial resources, the then chief technology officer of Meta could accelerate essential research and help us prepare for the escalating dangers.
As the threat of climate change consumed more and more of his time, he decided to step down from his CTO role in 2021. He has since launched several new climate tech initiatives, including one exploring the contentious idea of solar geoengineering.
Last week, Schroepfer sat down with MIT Technology Review to discuss his approach to the problem, why he’s willing to spend money on controversial climate interventions, and what AI and the presidential election could mean for progress on clean energy. Read the full story.
