I just read the book «The Code of Life,” which is about the life and work of scientist Jennifer Doudna, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Her story illustrates the struggle of women to be allowed to collaborate in a field historically dominated by men. She recounts that when she was a child, her high school teacher warned her that girls couldn't be scientists. Fortunately, she didn't listen, and thanks to that, she developed CRISPR technology, a genetic tool capable of editing DNA and thus transforming the world.
So today, I want to call on young girls to be inspired by Jennifer Doudna's example, because the world needs your wisdom, vision, and talent. If last century amazed us with the development of science and technology in relation to the atom and the bit, this century has captivated us with the discovery of molecular biology. It's a science that delves into the wonders of nature, and leverages the understanding of life's origins to rewrite the genetic code and thus modify the future of our species.
History has been plagued by masculine ego, which has often led us to use knowledge for personal gain instead of the healthy development of the planet and humanity. Some examples include the use of the atom to create the atomic bomb. And the use of the bit to manipulate us into consuming indiscriminately or addicting us to gambling and pornography. Or even worse, to create machines that surgically assassinate.
In the case of molecular biology, the risk of its use for selfish purposes is even more concerning. As early as 2018, a young Chinese scientist applied CRISPR technology to manipulate the DNA of 3 babies and, through it, initiate the race to design «superior» human beings.
And it is here that I call upon the girls and women of today. Please, apply your capacity not simply to support the development of scientific advances, but to help ensure that humanity places the well-being of the human race at the center of the equation, as Doudna is doing.
Upon learning how her discovery had been used, it provokes a nightmare in her. She dreams of seeing Hitler with a pig's face reveling in the discovery of CRISPR. This image disturbs her to the core, leading her to immediately launch a campaign for reason, prudence, and equity.
To understand the nightmare, let's transport ourselves to the 1920s when the eugenics movement, known as social Darwinism, was in full swing. It aimed to create a superior human race by ensuring that people with supposedly superior genes did not procreate with people with supposedly inferior genes.
The most nefarious example was the one promoted by Hitler, selling Germans the concept of the superiority of the Aryan race, which led to Nazism and the genocide of the Jewish people. This act was repudiated after World War II.
However, today, for the first time in history, it is possible to intervene in the human genetic code and literally make the dream of Nazism a reality. Imagine an advertisement that says: For a modest amount of money, we can, regardless of your ethnic origins (that is, if you are dark-skinned, brown-eyed, and short), tamper with the genetic code of your next child so that they will be tall, fair-skinned, and blue-eyed.
If the discussion around artificial intelligence is important, the discussion surrounding molecular biology is vital. It is a siren song that can lead us to shipwreck. I invite you to delve into the subject and, if you are a woman, to study STEAM careers focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics and help guide the human race to safe harbor.
The world needs you. Have a great day.