The Other Lab: Science's Virgin Birth

Dr Nicholas?

Speaking.

Jessica here from the Marketing Department. I’ve been working on a press release for your project and wondered if I could just run it past you?

Of course Jessica, fire away.

OK. It starts with ‘Human embryos created using a so-called ‘virgin conception’ technique have been made for the first time’.

Ah, I’m afraid that’s not quite accurate. It has been done elsewhere already, you see.

Oh really? That’s a shame.

It’s still exciting stuff though. We’ve used an entirely different technique.

In what way exactly?

Well, we’ve induced parthenogenesis by stimulating a human egg to divide using an electric spark, without any addition of genetic material from male sperm.

And how did this other team do it?

We’re not entirely sure. It was quite a while ago, but it seems to have involved some sort of divine intervention by all accounts.

Divine intervention?

Yes, some sort of apparition with wings and a blazing sword appeared one night to this virgin and mentioned something about her having a baby. And she did. Not sure her old man was very impressed but there we go.

[silence]

Yes, well, that is certainly different to your approach.

That’s what makes our work so interesting you see. I mean it’s been some two thousand years since it’s been done. It’s never been reproduced, as far as I know. And techniques have moved on since then. We’re now pioneering a whole new approach to virgin conception. Not an angel in sight.

Yes, I see. I tell you what, let’s try a different tack. How about ‘Human embryos created using a so-called ‘virgin conception’ technique have been made in the UK for the first time’.

Yes, that seems OK. I don’t suppose the Bethlehem lot can quibble about that.

Thank you Dr Nicholas.
No problem. Have a good Christmas, Jessica.

And you Dr Nicholas. And you.