(MIT Technology Review) – Thaddeus has taken the title of “world’s oldest baby” from the previous record-holders: twins Lydia Ann and Timothy Ronald Ridgeway, born in 2022, who developed from embryos that were created 30 years earlier, in 1992. Before that, the title was held by Molly Gibson, who developed from an embryo that was in storage for 27 years.

These remarkable stories suggest there may be no limit to how long embryos can be stored. Even after more than 30 years of being frozen at -196 °C (-321 °F), these tiny cells can be reanimated and develop into healthy babies. (Proponents of cryogenics can only dream of achieving anything like this with grown people.)

These stories also serve as a reminder that thanks to advances in cryopreservation and the ever-increasing popularity of IVF, a growing number of embryos are being stored in tanks. No one knows for sure how many there are, but there are millions of them. (Read More)