As of 2025, perfect synthetic replication of natural organs remains elusive

Organoids: 3D organs grown from stem cells in the lab

An organoid is a three-dimensional construct composed of multiple cell types that originate from stem cells that can simulate the architecture and functionality of native organs. One big benefit of these lab-grown organs is that drug candidates can be tested in model systems without needing live patients.

The basics of synthetic meat

Lab-grown meat companies promise to remove animal slaughter from the production process. But they have run into a few road bumps along the way.

Scientific advances are unlocking a wide range of alternatives to IVF

From refined artificial insemination and microsurgical sperm extraction to experimental uterine transplants, scientific innovation is rapidly advancing potential fertilization technologies. But they come along with costly trials, some ethical dilemmas, regulatory issues, and more.

In 2025, researchers in the UK began working on developing artificial DNA

The Synthetic Human Genome Project aims to one day construct human DNA, molecule by molecule, in the hopes of creating disease-resistant cells and synthetic chromosomes for study. However, critics warn it may be misused to create enhanced or modified humans.

Some medical schools have phased out human cadavers for digital alternatives

AI-based anatomy tools and digital cadavers are increasingly used to teach students, bypassing the ethical and consent concerns around the use of real bodies. Digital cadavers have also become less expensive than real ones, though the tactile and sensory experiences of real dissection may be irreplaceable.

Why don't we synthesize blood?

We're trying. Scientists are currently working on creating viable synthetic blood, an alternative to the presently relied-upon donations that manage to fall short of demand. More than half of the world's nations struggle to meet their population's need for blood. This article details current and historical efforts to develop synthetic blood, a venture that started more than 400 years ago.

Artificial intelligence may improve organ donation systems—and even organ health

Mayo Clinic transplant experts suggest that artificial intelligence could potentially improve organ donation systems in several ways, including better identifying patients most at risk for organ rejection, enhancing donor-recipient matching, and helping to avoid organ transplant needs by identifying health issues earlier.

In 2024, the US had more organ transplants than ever before—besting the 2023 record

More than 48,000 organ transplants were performed in 2024, and about 46,630 were performed in 2023. These record highs are illustrated here as part of data from 1988 to partway through 2025. Kidneys, livers, and the heart remain the most common transplanted organs. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Microgravity environments improve the success of 3D bioprinting

Gravity can cause gaps, such as those in the chambers of a 3D-printed heart, to collapse before stem cells, hydrogels, and biochemicals bind together during the bioprinting process. Rather than Earth's surface, some bioprinting is done on the International Space Station, where defective organs are also printed to test treatment methods.

Prosthetics and orthotics have been 3D printed to improve the lives of animals

Shells for hermit crabs, wheelchairs for guinea pigs and dogs, and horseshoes for improved running performance have been created using 3D printers. Other artificial body parts made using this technology include a jaw for a loggerhead turtle, a beak for a toucan, and a tail for an American alligator.

Chinese scientists transplanted a pig lung into a human being—but it had to be removed

In August 2025, Chinese scientists transplanted a pig lung into a brain-dead person, a common research step for this type of experimental work. Researchers used CRISPR technology to alter six proteins in the pig genes to make the organ seem less foreign to the human immune system. Within a day there were indications the organ wasn’t functioning well and that the person’s body was rejecting it. Scientists ended the experiment after nine days.

Indefinite cloning of some endangered species may not sustain their longevity because cloning success rates decrease as genetic mutations accumulate.

Indefinite cloning of some endangered species may not sustain their longevity because cloning success rates decrease as genetic mutations accumulate.

Challenges for synthetic biology

Can engineering approaches tame the complexity and unpredictability of living systems? An exploration of five challenges for the field and how they might be resolved.

Limb regeneration research may lead to treatments for arthritis

For scientists pursuing the cure for arthritis, the holy grail of discoveries lies in how to regrow healthy cartilage inside human joints. While this feat has so far resisted our best scientific attempts, there are plenty of other human tissues—such as the liver and fingertips—that will successfully regenerate.

Theoretically, you could lose a bunch of your organs and still survive

If surgeons removed organs including one of your lungs, a kidney, your spleen, appendix, tonsils, part of your liver, and even some of your reproductive organs you could still survive. Watch this animated video which dives into the organs you could conceivably live without.

The ease of deepfakes creation may soon overwhelm our sense of digital truth

Shortly after the public release of related technology in 2017, some experts saw the technical limitations of deepfakes as preventing them from becoming widespread tools of disinformation. Since then, the neural networks behind diffusion models and generative AI have eliminated the barriers to creating convincing synthetic media for propaganda.

What's next for surgical robots?

Since robots were introduced into the operating room in 2001, their patients have seen improved recovery times and decreased risks of infection. This article describes what's next for surgical robots, which, so far, have remained under human...

'Artificial embryos': The hidden steps in forming a spine

Somitogenesis is the process by which segmented body structures like vertebrae form in embryos. While the process is well understood in animals like mice or zebrafish it is difficult to study in humans. But now, researchers have created a model of somitogenesis, using pluripotent stem cells, called an axioloid.

Hacking the body for a future that didn't happen

Journalist Adi Robertson experimented with one of the most accessible biohacks: magnets. Having a tiny magnet in their right ring finger meant they could sense magnetic fields, attract small metal objects, and more. But magnets weaken over time, eroding this new sense. Such implants do more than offer a new way of interacting with the world, they also pose new complications, such as the inability to get an MRI.

Artificial coral reefs have been 3D printed from nontoxic, biodegradable terracotta clay, which coral polyps have used as a foundation for rebuilding marine ecosystems.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

An expert recreates the voice of a 3,000-year-old mummy

Ear, nose, and throat expert David Howard discusses how his research team extracts vocal folds from preserved human tissue, which allows them to model the deceased person's larynx. From there, they can create a synthetic voice based on the organ's geometry.

Nearly all natural rubber comes from cloned trees in Southeast Asia

Synthetic rubbers have been unable to mimic the strength and tolerance to heat and pressure provided by natural rubber. This makes rubber trees essential to major global infrastructure, despite being vulnerable to disease due to a lack of genetic diversity.

See this 201-level explanation about mitochondria and mitochondrial replacement therapy

This 2022 academic presentation from Stanford University's Dr. Gregory Enns offers a detailed overview about mitochondrial therapy approaches. Enns, a pediatric geneticist, explains how well-functioning mitochondria support the human body.

Peptide TB-500, promoted for regenerative healing, is not FDA approved

Watch a board-certified sports medicine therapist detail his thinking about this synthetic peptide; he says it's "promising but unproven." He notes that this product is designed to mimic the natural protein thymosin beta-4, found in human and animal tissues, which promotes wound healing. TB-500 is classified as a research peptide for recovery, meaning it's not approved for human use and has not yet undergone rigorous human trials on its safety and efficacy.

Digital twins create real-time 3D models of smart cities

These re-creations allow city planners to track changes and manage infrastructure more easily by testing strategies in virtual environments. Geospatial technologies, such as mobile mapping and satellite imaging, help cities assess urban layouts, plan for disasters, and manage resources more efficiently.

Plastics don’t biodegrade because their chemical bonds are unnatural to microbes

Despite coming from petroleum, which itself comes from organic material, synthetic plastic was not mass-produced until the mid-20th century. Insufficient time has passed for microbes to develop the necessary enzymes to break it down naturally.

The first line of 'immortal' human cells, which can divide indefinitely and are used in scientific research, was nonconsensually taken from a Black woman.

Read a deep dive on the 'all-purpose healing' peptide BPC-157.

Astronauts have repaired genetic damage in space using CRISPR—a molecular tool that can make precise changes to DNA and is used in single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses.

Objects can be 3D printed with light by projecting 2D computerized tomography (CT) scans onto rotating cylinders of resin, which solidify upon exposure.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Planarian flatworms are small, aquatic worms with exceptional regenerative capabilities. When cut, the worms can regenerate multiple bodies in a matter of weeks.

Bone marrow (soft tissue found inside certain bones) generates roughly 500 billion new blood cells each day

Watch how algorithms can be designed to train themselves and self-improve without human input, to the point where the optimized code is too complex for programmers to understand.

The syncytiotrophoblast is the outer layer of the placenta and the largest human cell, spanning an area about twice that of a king-sized bedsheet.

This site reaches millions of visitors who are tired of AI chatbots and seeking human connection. Pretend to be an AI chatbot and ask questions, provide answers, and draw for people in real time.

Tattoos remain visible on your skin thanks to immune cells called macrophages

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

Despite being favored by 87% of Americans, Congress does not have term limits.

In 2025, four executives from large tech companies were given positions in the US Army Reserves—including Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar, which reinforced Palantir's ties with the US military and its role as a leading defense partner.

While atoms are normally made of protons, neutrons, and electrons, exotic ones have been built with antimatter—alternate versions of normal matter that live for fractions of a second and are about a billion times as rare.

Cultural norms about how to handle the bodies of loved ones in communities in West Africa have hampered Ebola responses.

The first robot in literature may have been a 'mechanical man' in 1907's 'Ozma of Oz,' a book in L Frank Baum's 'Wizard of Oz' series.

Stanford built a Google Maps for the Roman Empire, revealing how much it cost to travel in the ancient world