TV series: Unnatural Selection
From biohackers to malaria-fighting mosquitos, this Netflix documentary looks at the powerful yet controversial technology of genetic engineering
Genetic engineering is not new, but with the advent of Crispr-Cas9 technology it can be carried out with increasingly greater specificity. All sorts of applications are now feasible, and Unnatural Selection looks at a number of examples. These range from treatments for diseases caused by defective genes to creating genetically modified mosquitos to combat malaria and, potentially, releasing genetically modified rats in New Zealand to help reverse the catastrophic effect they’ve had on indigenous wildlife.