Synthetic human embryos let researchers study early development while sidestepping ethical and logistical hurdles 
Why now is the time to address humanity’s impact on the moon 
Black hole, neutron star or something new? We discovered an object that defies explanation 
The mystery of consciousness shows there may be a limit to what science alone can achieve 
What is minoxidil, the anti-balding hair growth treatment? Here’s what the science says 
How do airplanes fly? An aerospace engineer explains the physics of flight 
Orbital resonance − the striking gravitational dance done by planets with aligning orbits 
Alpha, beta, theta: what are brain states and brain waves? And can we control them? 
Customizing mRNA is easy, and that's what makes it the next frontier for personalized medicine − a molecular biologist explains 
Why some people don't trust science – and how to change their minds 
Our survey of the sky is uncovering the secrets of how planets are born 
A Nasa rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilised life on Mars 
The brightest object in the universe is a black hole that eats a star a day 
If life exists on Jupiter’s moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it 
The CRISPR tool, also known as CRISPR-Cas9, is the most powerful gene-editing technique developed to date. It can modify organisms at a genetic level that has never been done before, which makes it a perfect tool for creating mutated organisms. In order to have a safeguard against unwanted mutation, scientists created a tool that can prevent CRISPR-Cas9 from making any changes to genes. In similar news, it would seem that scientists are also battling over who should be recognized as the rightful owner of the tool.
The “Anti-CRISPR” tool in question involves the use of three protein families from viruses, Phys.org reports. They were discovered by scientists from the University of Toronto, as well as the University of Massachusetts. According to UT phage biologist and bacteriologist Alan Davidson who is also the lead author of the study, this is an incredibly important development to make sure that there will be balances in place.
"Making CRISPR controllable allows you to have more layers of control on the system and to turn it on or off under certain conditions, such as where it works within a cell or at what point in time," Davidson said. "The three anti-CRISPR proteins we've isolated seem to bind to different parts of the Cas9, and there are surely more out there."
Now, while the gene-editing tool is something practically anyone can use, provided they have the skills and equipment to actually use it, the matter of ownership is still up for debate. Two of the main figures in the battle to possess the rights over CRISPR is Feng Zhang, a biologist and Jennifer Doudna, a molecular biologist.
Both parties filed for patents pertaining to CRISPR in differing times, Futurism reports, but they are now stuck in a legal battle. The scientific community is now just waiting for the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to make its decision and choose who will ultimately have the rights over CRISPR.
