Researchers have developed new genome editing techniques that allow for rewriting genetic code with precision and efficiency comparable to word processing. They demonstrated this ability by replacing genetic codons in E. coli cells. The techniques aim to add new functions, prevent cross-contamination of modified organisms, and establish viral resistance. Separately, other researchers have improved techniques for producing blood cells from human stem cells, achieving blood cell markers in 84% of cells. This progress could enable stem cell therapies for conditions like cancer and immune diseases.