In a research greenhouse in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, the tomatoes looked ordinary, but they carried a surprisingly sweet scent – the aroma of buttered popcorn. It was not the result of accidental crossbreeding but a precise surgical edit in the tomato genome, performed by the CRISPR/Cas9 tool. Two genes responsible for suppressing aromatic compounds were simultaneously silenced. Then the tomatoes began to emit the signature scent of premium fragrant rice or fresh buttered...