Summary of The Code Breaker By Walter Isaacson

A chapter-by-chapter high-quality summary of Walter Isaacson´s book The Code Breaker including chapter details and an analysis of the main themes of the original book.
About the original book:
Jennifer Doudna was in sixth grade when she returned home one day to find a paperback titled The Double Helix on her bed. She set it aside, thinking it was one of her favorite detective stories. On a rainy Saturday, she read it and realized she was partially correct. She got intrigued by the dramatic drama surrounding the competition to uncover the code of life as she hurried through the pages. Despite the fact that her high school counselor informed her that females did not become scientists, she wanted to pursue it nevertheless.

She would contribute to what the book's author, James Watson, described as the greatest important biological development since his codiscovery of the structure of DNA. She was driven by a desire to understand how nature works and to transform findings into innovations. She and her coworkers converted a natural interest into an innovation that will change the human race: a simple tool for editing DNA. CRISPR, as it's known, ushered forth a brand new world of medical wonders and ethical dilemmas.

CRISPR's advancement and the rush to find coronavirus vaccinations will expedite our transition to the next big technological revolution. The microchip, computer, and internet have all contributed to the digital age of the last half-century. We are now in the midst of a life-science revolution. Children interested in digital coding will be joined by those interested in genetic coding.

Should we exploit our new evolution-hacking abilities to make ourselves more virus resistant? What a fantastic gift it would be! What about depression prevention? Hmmm… Should we let parents improve their children's height, muscular mass, or IQ if they can afford it?

Doudna became a trailblazer in grappling with these moral dilemmas after helping to discover CRISPR, and she earned the Nobel Prize in 2020 with her partner Emmanuelle Charpentier. Her narrative is described as an "enthralling detective story" (Oprah Daily) including the deepest natural wonders, from the beginnings of life to the destiny of our species.