This week we welcomed a record-breaking child to the world. Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, who arrived over the weekend, developed from an embryo that was frozen in storage for 30 and a half years. You can name him the world’s oldest child.
His dad and mom, Lindsey and Tim Pierce, had been themselves solely younger kids when that embryo was created, all the way in which again in 1994. Linda Archerd, who donated the embryo, described the expertise as “surreal.”
Tales like this additionally spotlight how reproductive applied sciences are shaping households. However whereas child Thaddeus is a record-breaker, loads of different infants have been born from embryos which were frozen for vital spells of time. Learn the total story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
This text first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Expertise Evaluate’s weekly biotech e-newsletter. To obtain it in your inbox each Thursday, and skim articles like this primary, join right here.
In the event you’re fascinated with studying extra about fertility tech, why not try:
+ Earlier this month, researchers introduced infants had been born from a trial of three-person IVF. The long-awaited outcomes counsel that the method can cut back the danger of mitochondrial illness—however not everyone seems to be satisfied.
+ Frozen embryos are filling storage banks around the globe. It is a wrestle to know what to do with them.
+ Examine how a cell lab is bringing IVF to rural communities in South Africa.
+ Why family-friendly insurance policies and gender equality could be extra useful than IVF expertise in the case of averting the looming fertility disaster.
+ The primary infants conceived with a sperm-injecting robotic have been born. Meet the startups attempting to engineer a desktop fertility machine.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the web to seek out you at the moment’s most enjoyable/essential/scary/fascinating tales about expertise.
1 Donald Trump has introduced new tariffs internationally
They’ll have an effect on nearly each nation—some extra favorably than others. (CNN)
+ The brand new charges vary extensively from 10% to 41%. (NYT $)
+ The African nation Lesotho had declared a tariff-induced state of emergency. (WSJ $)
2 Palantir has signed a $10 billion cope with the US Military
It’s the most recent in a string of profitable agreements with federal businesses. (WP $)
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3 Tech giants are raking in money
However we nonetheless don’t understand how helpful a variety of the AI they’re at present constructing will show to be. (FT $)
+ It’s a boon for buyers, however not essentially for workers. (WSJ $)
+ It is unclear whose method will end in sustainable income. (Semafor)
4 Neuralink is planning its first trial within the UK
To hitch the present 5 sufferers utilizing its mind implant. (Reuters)
+ This affected person’s Neuralink mind implant will get a lift from generative AI. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)
