In a common metaphor used to describe human fertilization, sperm cells are competitors racing to penetrate a passive egg. But as critics have noted, the description is also a 'fairy tale,' rooted in ...

Despite significant biomedical advances in recent decades, the very earliest events of human development¬--those that occur during a critical window just after fertilization--have remained an ...

Scientists based at The Rockefeller University have created an experimental system that models the implantation of a human embryo. The new system, an adaptation of one used to recapitulate the ...

A stunning explosion of zinc fireworks occurs when a human egg is activated by a sperm enzyme, and the size of these 'sparks' is a direct measure of the quality of the egg and its ability to develop ...

When couples experience infertility, medical science presents possible solutions for a potentially successful conception of a baby. Infertility issues can be addressed with Human Chorionic ...

The “glass womb” is made from two glass slides, one with a scarcely visible depression containing a ripe ovum. The slides are sealed together and attached to a heater that maintains a constant ...

For the first time, a study shows that female eggs may not necessarily be required to create offspring; scientists from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom have developed a technique that ...

Sexuality is about a lot more than reproduction. For our species, by far the most sex happens in contexts where conception is impossible. Humans are not alone in having sex for many other reasons.