A controversial technology could save us from starvation
Maybe it was a mistake to pack the bag of fried kale chips in his suitcase, Stefan Jansson thought as he hoisted his luggage onto the airport security scanner for a flight from Sweden to Norway.
The last time he'd taken the leafy greens across borders he was nearly detained. The kale, which had been modified using a powerful gene-editing technology called CRISPR, was not allowed in the country. But Jansson, a Swedish plant researcher who studies how to make healthier and more efficient crops, decided it was worth the risk.
In the US, foods made this way are allowed, for now. Experts estimate we’ll be eating the first CRISPR produce — likely strawberries or another type of fruit — within five to ten years.