19 August 2026

Scientist creates embryo-like structures without eggs or sperm

• Jacob Hanna, a Palestinian stem-cell scientist, developed synthetic embryo models that mimic real embryos using neither sperm nor eggs nor fertilization.
• The synthetic models could help researchers understand how human embryos develop in their earliest stages and potentially advance regenerative medicine applications.
• The work raises ethical questions about how permissible this type of research should be and where boundaries ought to exist.

How it was covered

The AlgorithmMIT Technology Review

Palestinian stem-cell scientist Jacob Hanna specializes in creating synthetic embryo models that resemble real embryos without sperm, eggs, or fertilization. These could revolutionize understanding of early human development and regenerative medicine, but raise difficult ethical questions about how far the science should advance.