Decoding the World

Book summary

Arvind Gupta is the founder of the venture capital firm IndieBio, which he left in 2020. He studied genetic engineering and is a former BASE jumper. Po Bronson is IndieBio’s managing director and an award-winning science journalist whose books include What Should I Do With My Life?

People often react strongly to emerging scientific ideas, a phenomenon Po and Arvind call "Warp-Speed Impulse," where worst-case scenarios dominate public imagination. Yet, genome editing, despite its potential, is highly regulated and far from the dystopian fears it evokes. Dimitre, a geneticist at IndieBio, exemplifies its promise with his CRISPR-based project to produce IL10, a molecule aiding kidney transplant acceptance, without permanently altering the genome. This underscores the complexity of genetics, where gene expression, not the genome itself, is key. Our bodies also host genetic material from bacteria, viruses, and even food, revealing how little we truly understand. Meanwhile, bacteria’s ability to rearrange basic elements into new configurations offers groundbreaking possibilities, from producing bioplastics to capturing carbon. Inspired by this, Arvind explores using olivine to accelerate CO2 conversion into rock, aligning with entropy’s principle of energy dispersion, which has driven evolution since before life began. By March 2020, COVID-19 shifted IndieBio’s focus to urgent pandemic solutions, reflecting their ethos of embracing risk for global impact. As Arvind prepares to leave IndieBio to amplify his efforts elsewhere, his personal connection to cancer research highlights the transformative potential of genetic advancements. Yet, mysteries remain, from memory encoded in RNA to anti-aging breakthroughs using compounds from mother’s milk. IndieBio’s work bridges philosophical questions and practical solutions, such as creating sustainable blue dyes or lab-grown meat, proving that science and society evolve together, though societal change is harder to predict. What’s clear is that change is inevitable, and preparation is essential.

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