<div dir="ltr">Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription.<br><br>The Next Gene-Editing Technology May Also Be the Oldest<br><br>Scientists have discovered a powerful gene-targeting system in viruses. Billions of years old, VIPR seems to predate CRISPR and may be even more effective.<br><br><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/science/crispr-gene-editing-vipr.html?unlocked_article_code=1.CFE.nMDz.bW46U07VtAPR&smid=em-share">https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/science/crispr-gene-editing-vipr.html?unlocked_article_code=1.CFE.nMDz.bW46U07VtAPR&smid=em-share</a></div>