Imagine a tiny clump of cells that looks just like a human embryo. Scientists have created this amazing model using stem cells—no eggs, sperm, or womb involved. This lab-made embryo has a yolk sac and a proto-placenta, which are features seen in real human embryos about 14 days after fertilization. Remarkably, it even produces hormones that can turn a pregnancy test positive!
Jacob Hanna, a professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, was thrilled when two students rushed into his office to show him this breakthrough. While he knew this model wasn’t perfect and couldn’t grow into a baby, he recognized that his team had unlocked a vital door to understanding a crucial stage of human development. However, with this discovery comes a significant question: what are the ethical implications of creating such models?
The Mystery of Early Human Development
You may remember from biology class how a fertilized egg transforms into a tiny baby through various stages. How...
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