Promise & Peril of Gene Editing

CRISPR is a new gene-editing tool that may revolutionize the way we think about-and ultimately treat-genetic disorders. For scientists, it is cheap and easy to use, allowing them to do what they've only dreamed of in the past. What if researches could eliminate the gene that causes Huntington's Disease in embryos, and free families from that disease for all future generations? However, some worry that CRISPR has a darker side, affecting genes that influence a child's eye color, skin color, or (possibly) intelligence. This has led some to call for a halt in using CRISPR for some kinds of research, and for others to say that such a moratorium is a thinly veiled "attack on science." Jeff Sheehy looks at both sides of the debate, exploring the potential and the perils of gene editing.