You might have heard of the tremendous potential CRISPR could have in treating disease. The technology is already accelerating the research on the underlying causes of all sorts of human conditions.
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But the technology offers endless (and less morally questionable) possibilities beyond its applications in human health …. [Here is] a list of unusual applications of CRISPR that clearly show the potential that the gene editing technology has to impact many different kinds of industries.
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Pet breeding
Pet owners are always keen on taking advantage of the latest technologies to help their companion animals …. The gene editing tool [CRISPR] has been proposed as a way of removing the genetic diseases that abound in pure breed dogs. A great example are Dalmatians, which often carry a genetic mutation that makes them prone to suffer from bladder stones. A dog breeder in the US has crafted a plan to fix Dalmatians ….
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Decaf coffee beans
A company in the UK called Tropic Biosciences has created a gene edited variety of coffee beans that are naturally decaffeinated. Using CRISPR, the company has been able to turn off the genes that make the beans produce caffeine.