Hi Quartz members!
We have a lot going on today. Here’s what’s on tap.
The patent wars over Crispr and the future of gene editing
Our exploration of Crispr continues today with two new articles. First, we have a look at the battle over the rights to Crispr technology. It’s not clear who exactly owns the Crispr technology—here’s how the patent battle shook out
We also have a Q&A with John Cumbers, a former synthetic biologist for Nasa who now runs SynBioBeta, the leading conference where entrepreneurs, scientists, and investors meet up to chart the future of biology. For Cumbers, the activity surrounding Crispr and other technologies is world-changing. “Any manufacturing company that isn’t thinking about biology should be worried,” he says. “And any materials company. And any fossil fuel company.”
We’ll have more later this week, including:
- How the issue of designer babies predates Crispr
- How Crispr could cure your hangover
- And charts, infographics, and video to help you understand this fast-changing world
Inside the ultra-elite lounge at Davos
Our editor in chief, Kevin Delaney, is in Switzerland this week, attending the World Economic Forum. He sent us a dispatch from inside the Garden Lounge, a restricted-access area for participants at Davos. With robots making coffee and world leaders milling about, it’s like the best airline lounge ever created, with the most exclusive guests.
Let’s keep learning. Send questions, comments, and high-end Swiss canapés to members@qz.com.
Have a rewarding day,
Sam Grobart
membership editor