Scientists grow mice embryos to half-term in glass artificial uterus

Artificial womb
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/Jacob Hanna)

Scientists in Israel reported Wednesday in the journal Nature that they have successfully grown apparently normal mouse embryos in an artificial uterus, marking the first time a mammal has been nurtured to half-term outside the womb. Dr. Jacob Hanna and his colleagues at the Weizmann Institute of Science described removing a fertilized egg at five days of gestation and watching it develop for another six days in glass vials inside a special rotating incubator Hanna spent seven years developing.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.