Today’s mass-produced tomatoes often grow to palm-sized proportions, but their naturally occurring ancestors were far smaller fruits. They were also sweeter and more flavorful due to their lower water content compared to the red fruits found in grocery stores—but recent genetic discoveries have unlocked the path to attaining the best of both worlds.

CRISPR-Cas9 is a powerful gene-editing tool that allows scientists to modify DNA in living organisms precisely. It works like molecular scissors, using a guide RNA to target specific sequences in the genome and the Cas9 enzyme to cut the DNA at that location. This allows researchers to delete, insert, or alter genetic material with high precision.