Strebryo
Until recently, scientists studying the first moments of human development relied on embryos donated by people who were suffering. IVFin most countries – including the UK and US – it must be destroyed after 14 days. In 2023, however, a team from the University of Cambridge created a complete human embryo model based on stem cells.
Embryos, as they are known, can be studied longer, and are expected to lead to new insights into developmental conditions and the causes of early miscarriages, as well as improving IVF success rates. But considering ethical questions This work itself has not kept pace. That’s why, in July, the UK published its first guidelines on the creation and use of embryos in research, including a proposal to create a committee to oversee all embryo research.
Virome
We are all full the viruses – and thank you for that. The average human contains about 380 billion of them, known as the virome. But while some viruses make us sick, scientists now understand that the legions of viruses that live inside us have a wider and more profound effect on our overall health.
Viruses are a critical part of what we know: the microbiomethat vast population of microorganisms that camp inside and on us. Scientists believe that the virome regulates…
