News of the gene-edited babies excludes images of the children’s mother. Cutting her out of the picture underscores the idea that the mother is obsolete and babies can be created in the lab.
Scientists and ethicists have called for a five-year moratorium on editing human genes that will pass on to future generations. Yes, society needs to figure out how to proceed – but is this the best way?
Ian Myles, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
The effort to edit the genes of Chinese twins implies that all our traits are determined by our genes. But changing our diet, environment, lifestyle and microbes may have a greater effect.