Groundbreaking research is elucidating the origins and functional evolution of CRISPR systems critical to genome editing technology. A new study reveals an RNA splitting mechanism that drove the emergence of type V CRISPR-Cas systems from transposons, bridging the gap in understanding how ancestral mobile genetic elements evolved into adaptive immune systems. Further, the discovery of multiple transposon-CRISPR intermediates showcases evolutionary hybrids capable of DNA targeting like modern Cas12 enzymes. These findings deepen comprehension of CRISPR biology, potentially informing the design of more precise genome engineering tools.