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August 7, 2025 63 mins

Would you use an algorithm to select your embryos? Enter Orchid, a company that promises parents the ability to protect their future children through genetic testing for embryos before pregnancy. The founder, Noor Siddiqui, and Ross debate the scientific, moral and ethical implications of designing a “healthy” child and what we lose in separating reproduction from sex.

  • 01:27 - Orchid’s vision
  • 04:59- The process and benefits
  • 17:20 - Noor explains why Orchid was developed
  • 22:00- Criticism and skepticism around genetic screening
  • 36:21 - Does IVF need to change?
  • 44:00 - “The moral status of the embryo”
  • 53:36 - How does this technology change us?

(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)

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