Jennifer Doudna on what it takes to be a good scientist
Science Friday

Jennifer Doudna on what it takes to be a good scientist

B2Upper-intermediateOctober 21, 202629 min
  • Interview
  • Science

In 2020, Jennifer Doudna shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry for the development of the gene-editing technique CRISPR. Along with related techniques, it has become an essential tool in genetics, allowing specific sections of genetic code to be cut and replaced in a genome. It’s an advance that has changed the game in biological research. Doudna talks with Ira Flatow about the path that led to the development of CRISPR, her own route into research, and her thoughts on the attributes needed for success in science. Guest: Dr. Jennifer Doudna is a professor of b...

Play episode

Opens the player: the full transcript, every word clickable, with translation and flashcards.

Try it: tap any word

Real sentences from the start of this episode. Every word is marked with its level.

Sentence 1 of 12 · 0:00

, .

Over the years, I've talked to thousands of researchers on this program and while their

Tap a word to see its meaning in your language.

Do you know these words?

8 harder words from this episode. Tap one to see what it means, then mark it.

Mark a few words and we'll tell you how this episode fits your level.

Is this episode right for you?

B2

B2 · Upper-intermediate

Comfortable if you already follow TV news

A1 26%A2 32%B1 20%B2 15%C1 7%
  • 78% of the words are B1 or easier.
  • 154 words a minute: a natural pace.
  • 137 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

Transcript

The opening of the episode. The whole transcript is in the player.

0:00

Hi, it's Ira and you're listening to Science Friday. Over the years, I've talked to thousands of researchers on this program and while their findings, advances, and inventions are interesting and important, I'm also interested in a deeper personal question and that is, what does it take to be a good scientist?

0:22

Is it creativity, good ideas, diligence, luck, or all of the above? And whom to ask? Well, in 2020, Dr. Jennifer Doudna shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of the gene editing technique CRISPR.

0:38

CRISPR and related techniques have become essential tools in genetics. It's an advance that has changed the game in biology. Dr. Doudna has spoken or written about the challenges and rewards of science. So I wanted to get her take on my what does it take to be a good scientist question and

That was the opening. The rest of the episode (29 min) is in the player: every word clickable, with translation, saved words and flashcards.

Continue in the player

Automatically generated from the audio. May contain errors. Audio belongs to its publisher and is played from their feed. Rights holders can request removal — copyright & takedown policy