A pair of studies revealed retrons as a new, engineerable class of reverse‑transcribing elements for precise genome editing. A metagenomic screen identified retron reverse transcriptases with strong editing potential, while complementary engineering work demonstrated retron‑derived editors that produce multicopy single‑stranded DNA templates inside cells for targeted integrations. The research, published in Nature Biotechnology and reported in accompanying papers, shows retrons can be optimized for activity and specificity and may enable high‑fidelity, template‑based edits without double‑strand breaks. Authors outlined screens and engineering strategies that illuminate retrons’ mechanistic diversity and therapeutic potential. These results expand the genome‑editing toolbox and could accelerate development of therapies for complex genetic diseases where precise, programmable insertion or correction is required.