Revived, implanted, and analyzed—the personal stories at the heart of cutting-edge biotech

We can also use cells from dead people to make babies. Who should get to decide how and when that technology is used, if ever? And then there’s the race to make functional human egg and sperm cells in the lab. This technology could allow us to create babies with more than two parents, or none at all. Will it change our understanding of what it means to be a parent?

There often aren’t definitive answers to questions like these, but exploring them has been a blast. I’d like to say a great big thank you for doing that with me.

Read more from Tech Review’s archive

I’ve really enjoyed writing to you from reporting trips I’ve taken over the last year, especially from an exclusive conference in Switzerland for uber-wealthy people looking to add years to their lives.

And from a seaside resort in Montenegro where life-extension enthusiasts explored a way to turn Rhode Island into a longevity state.

While I’m away, the Checkup will live on! It will take a short break and then return to your inboxes in early August. In the meantime, I’d also like to flag the other amazing weekly newsletters written by my fabulous colleagues.

Every Monday morning, Melissa Heikkilä shares her insights on the wild world of AI with subscribers of the Algorithm. And there’s more throughout the week. If you’re interested in batteries, concrete, lab-grown meat, and all things climate-related, Casey Crownhart’s newsletter, the Spark, is for you.

Tate Ryan-Mosley has all you need to know about power, politics, and Silicon Valley in the Technocrat. And you can probably guess what Zeyi Yang’s informative and entertaining China Report is all about.

From around the web

There’s evidence that weight-loss drugs like Wegovy work well in children—and trials in children as young as six are about to start. But taking these drugs could be a lifelong commitment, and they could be harmful for those with eating disorders. So should we ever give weight-loss drugs to kids? (New Scientist)