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 may name him the world’s oldest child.
His mother and father, Lindsey and Tim Pierce, had been themselves solely younger youngsters when that embryo was created, all the best way 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 have been frozen for important spells of time. Learn the complete story.
—Jessica Hamzelou
This text first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Know-how Assessment’s weekly biotech e-newsletter. To obtain it in your inbox each Thursday, and browse articles like this primary, enroll right here.
In the event you’re keen on studying extra about fertility tech, why not take a look at:
+ 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 all over the world. It is a battle to know what to do with them.
+ Examine how a cellular lab is bringing IVF to rural communities in South Africa.
+ Why family-friendly insurance policies and gender equality is likely to be extra useful than IVF expertise relating to averting the looming fertility disaster.
+ The primary infants conceived with a sperm-injecting robotic have been born. Meet the startups making an attempt 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 just about each nation—some extra favorably than others. (CNN)
+ The brand new charges vary broadly 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 take care of the US Military
It’s the newest in a string of profitable agreements with federal companies. (WP $)
3 Tech giants are raking in money
However we nonetheless don’t understand how helpful numerous the AI they’re presently constructing will show to be. (FT $)
+ It’s a boon for buyers, however not essentially for workers. (WSJ $)
+ It is unclear whose method will lead to sustainable earnings. (Semafor)
4 Neuralink is planning its first trial within the UK
To affix the present 5 sufferers utilizing its mind implant. (Reuters)
+ This affected person’s Neuralink mind implant will get a lift from generative AI. (MIT Know-how Assessment)
