Explainer: What is Crispr and why did it win the Nobel prize?

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna have scooped the 2020 Nobel prize in chemistry ‘for the development of a method for genome editing’. Specifically, they’ve been awarded the prize for their discovery of the Crispr–Cas9 genome editing technique that allows scientists to make precise alterations to the genetic code of living organisms. Crispr–Cas9 is a powerful tool that could revolutionise many aspects of our lives, from medical treatments to the way we produce food. It’s also seen its fair share of controversy in recent years. Here, we take a deeper look at these ‘genetic scissors’ and why they’ve won the Nobel prize.