Quest to create viable human sex cells in lab progressing rapidly, with huge implications for reproduction
Scientists are just a few years from creating viable human sex cells in the lab, according to an internationally renowned pioneer of the field, who says the advance could open up biology-defying possibilities for reproduction.
Speaking to the Guardian, Prof Katsuhiko Hayashi, a developmental geneticist at the University of Osaka, said rapid progress is being made towards being able to transform adult skin or blood cells into eggs and sperm, a feat of genetic conjury known as in-vitro gametogenesis (IVG).
His own lab is about seven years away from the milestone, he predicts. Other frontrunners include a team at the University of Kyoto and a California-based startup, Conception Biosciences, whose Silicon Valley backers include the OpenAI founder, Sam Altman and whose CEO told the Guardian that growing eggs in the lab “might be the best tool we have to reverse population decline” and could pave the way for human gene editing.
Ah yes great I feel at ease now, knowing Sam Altman gives the thumbs up to this
That little voice telling me this is a very sharp double edged sword probably doesn’t know shit
“Just a a few years away” means, “We are attempting to grift a billionaire”, and it won’t be achieved. I wish the company many well funded years of unprofitable operation.
I hope you are so right, I really hope
Not like the story will end. This one’s in the same cabinet as combatting aging.
Altman be praised! /s
I read five lines into the news and thought “oh well shoot, now billionaires are going to try reverse the population decline due to the shitty world they created so that they can continue to generate labour and revenue and make the rest of us fight for resources in an over crowded world”. And what do you know Sam Altman was the first shit face to confirm my speculations.
I’m a bit dull to predict the future. But I can see we already have “ownership” of GMOs available for companies. The “Dire Wolves” that got resurrected that you don’t hear about anymore belong to a company. We got plenty of examples of companies marketing something as positive, such as Monsanto saying they actually feed the planet and whatnot. Companies that start open source suddenly turning for profit. And unscrupulous governments and corruption.
And now you have unlocked the possibility of creating fully customized humans in a lab.
What could go wrong?
Don’t get me wrong I totally see how the technology can also be used for good. That’s what OpenAI says about their product, too.
Yeah it’s gonna be some Black Mirror shit
There are so many double-edged swords lying around these days I feel like it’ll be death by a thousand cuts from double-edged swords.