Swiss Glaciers Melt Rapidly; Human Eggs Created from Skin Cells

Switzerland's glaciers experienced significant melting, witnessing the fourth-largest ice volume reduction due to minimal snowfall and June heatwaves. Additionally, researchers have made headway in creating human eggs from skin cells, potentially aiding women with dysfunctional natural eggs, though concerns about safety remain.

Switzerland's glaciers have witnessed significant melting over the past year, marking the fourth-largest reduction in ice volume recorded to date. Scientists attribute this decline to a winter marked by minimal snowfall and successive heatwaves in June. This has resulted in a 3% reduction in the total ice mass, as reported by GLAMOS and the Swiss Commission for Cryosphere Observation on Wednesday.

In a groundbreaking development in reproductive science, researchers have developed a method to create human eggs using skin cells. This advance, detailed in a recent entry in Nature Communications, holds promise for women whose natural eggs are non-functional. By transplanting a skin cell's nucleus into a denucleated egg, scientists have taken early steps towards a solution, although the technique presents significant safety concerns.

These developments highlight both the ongoing impact of climate changes on natural landscapes and promising advances in biotechnological research that could alter human reproduction in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)