Audio Transcript Auto-generated
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Hi I'm heather Ostrom. In the book I chose for this project was
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Code Breaker, Jennifer Dowd Donna gene editing
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and the future of the human race by walter ISaAcson.
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This book tells the exciting discovery of what D. N. A. Is
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and how it has shaped every living thing.
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We look closely at the biggest players in the D. N. A.
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World and focus in on one of the greats, jennifer daughter anna.
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There is love, drama,
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passion and intense competition in this book of discovery and invention.
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There were a few topics that stood out to me while I was reading this book.
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The 1st 1 I address is sexism.
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We see firsthand experiences of sexism prevalent in the scientific community.
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Another topic in this book is women in science.
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There was a broad history of the many women that helped
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contribute and lead to the discovery of DNA and beyond.
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I also enjoyed the topic of partnership.
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There are many times when collaboration between individuals teams
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and organizations have helped push the world of science forward
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with some partnerships. There is cohesive long term work or terrible breakup
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and the last topic I focus on
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is discovery,
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rushing to publish and have new scientific findings being credited to you.
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Is only a small part of the intense lab culture that leads to swift discovery.
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There are two separate quotes that helped construct the thesis.
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A story filled with the biggest questions from the
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origin of life to the future of the human race
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D. N. A. Doesn't do much work
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R. N. A. On the other hand, actually goes out and does real work.
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The content of this book varied and flowed through the history and the science.
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The author highlighted the history of genetic biology and
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what steps led to the discovery of D.
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N. A.
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We step back to take a broad look at
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the world around us from grass that responds to touch
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to virus outbreaks that changed the landscape of humankind.
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We learned of the ins and outs of laboratory work and
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the exhausting clock that is always leading to advancement in science.
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We celebrate the elation and the dramatic experiences that lead to awards
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recognition and the disappointment of missing the credit of discovery by minutes.
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There are 56 chapters in this book,
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So the author separated them into nine parts
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Part one, The Origins of Life.
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In the first few chapters,
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the author covers the extensive history and research
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that went into the discovery of DNA.
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And the inspirational moments that jennifer doubting herself experienced,
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that made her question why things did what they did.
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These chapters set up the science. Knowledge needed to understand the process
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of the discoveries endowed in his life.
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Part two crisper
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Christopher addresses the breakthroughs with RNA
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sequences and the reactions with certain enzymes
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that lead to Donna honing in on the exact enzyme to cut D.
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N. A. And insert different base pairs that alter the whole genome.
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These chapters go through the details that follow the process showing
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the different steps taken to publish papers in scientific journals.
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Part three gene editing
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these few chapters highlight the practical human use of
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altering genes and the potential outcomes that changing one thing
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can lead to in gene therapies.
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This section also illustrates the intense competition between labs
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to publish and discover new things before the other.
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We are introduced to another onset of main characters
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and very influential people endowed in his career.
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Part four Crispin
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in Action.
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These few chapters highlight the complications and difficulties that
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using some of these new CRISPR techniques can cause
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some therapies. Using CRISPR are for sickle cell and other blood disorders.
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Cancer is also on the crisper radar as well as cures for blindness and beyond.
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With these treatments looming in the future.
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The book takes us to a broader aspect of bio
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hacking and the dangers that this technology can have with
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regulation or lack thereof.
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Part five Public Scientists.
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The viewpoint of this section brought
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moral questions to the forefront
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that try to discern what if any intervention should be done
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in order to guarantee health and vitality of future human Children.
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This section accentuates the different thoughts in current science today
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and it asks the question just because you can, does that mean we should
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Part six Crisper babies.
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These chapters
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call attention to the scientist john
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who actually used the technology
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in so doing,
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he caused a huge backlash toward his profession and the scientific community
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looked on in stunned abhorrence at his decision to actually edit babies
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In November of 2018. The CRISPR babies were born in China
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causing a ripple effect in the crisper community.
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Part seven. The moral question
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Part seven of the book goes into a lot of detail,
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illuminating why using new technology that hasn't had thorough testing
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is dangerous and potentially fatal to the subjects being tested on
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what should be considered a treatment versus an
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enhancement is one different than the other.
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Should all people be able to choose every aspect of
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their future child or just those who could afford it.
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These questions will lead to many more unanswered ones.
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Part eight
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dispatches from the front
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these chapters applaud some significant changes to the CRISPR technology.
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There was also a difficult subject addressed with one scientist in particular,
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that was very influential early on in the gene editing practice,
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who ended up taking a serious stance in eugenics
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at the end of his life and influence in the scientific realm.
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It was difficult for Donna
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to separate the great things he did from
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the detrimental ideas he put out into the world
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Part nine.
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Coronavirus.
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The last component of the book,
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focuses on what we have all been living through these last few years.
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Coronavirus.
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This is where the real magic of RNA and
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the current technologies collided and the use of M.
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RNA to produce new effective vaccines in a rapid procession, took flight.
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The last chapter ends the book with Donna and one of
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her on and off again partners in the lab Emmanuelle Charpentier,
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winning the Nobel prize for their discoveries in the world of crisper In 2020.
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The celebration of new life changing discoveries
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and the unknown on the horizon left
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me with anticipation for the future and excitement for what will come next.
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I felt that there were five main strengths in this book
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details
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the details in the book took complex scientific study and made
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it easy enough for someone who is new to the science.
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Really grasp how things work with D. N. A. R. N. A. And CRISPR technology,
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correlation between self and others.
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The author portrayed the people in the book as real elemental
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people with genuine emotions that are reflected in all of us.
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It made reading about these incredible scientists, relatable
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personal stories.
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The use of personal stories helped break up a
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lot of the harder focal points in the book.
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The branch off into memories or personal moments helped
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lighten some of the heavier materials that were covered
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the science.
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I find the science and discoveries so fascinating. D. N. A.
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Is one of my favorite subjects to learn about. So learning more about D. N. A.
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Or RNA and how they work is amazing.
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Donna,
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Jennifer Donna is amazing.
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She is a powerful, intelligent woman and her story is inspirational to read
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her influence in the crisper world is evident in the work she has accomplished.
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There were two weaknesses of the book that I felt needed to be addressed
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misleading cover.
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When I first decided on this book, I thought it would be about jennifer Dowd sna.
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It is in part but there are a lot of diverging stories that are not her story
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lacking a feminist perspective.
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I feel like the point of view the author had wasn't what I had anticipated,
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There were times that the author talked about the women
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in the story with a little bit of dismissal.
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I don't think that it was on purpose,
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but I feel like it could have been a better
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story if the focus had a more feminist outlook.
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Overall, I really enjoyed the book.
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I liked reading the whole story with the drama in real life,
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relationships between people.
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I think dogma is awesome and I wish the book would
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have kept its focus on her more than it did.
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But I am glad I was able to read it and learn about
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crisper and the process that has led to so many incredible discoveries.
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Read it,
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if you enjoy reading about real science and want an easy course in CRISPR technology
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with Samantha drama. This is the book for you