Hello, tech lovers! Today, we’re diving into a fascinating and somewhat shocking world of genetic testing and how it’s changing parenthood forever.

Nucleus Genomics, a startup co-founded by 25-year-old Kian Sadeghi, initially aimed to assess disease risk through genetic testing. But recently, it sparked controversy by announcing a new product called Nucleus Embryo, which claims to analyze IVF embryos for traits like appearance, IQ, and health conditions.

This product can supposedly evaluate embryos for sex, hair color, eye color, height, and even cognitive traits like intelligence and mental health indicators such as anxiety or ADHD. The launch video showcases a comparison menu, suggesting parents could select embryos based on these complex features.

While embryo genetic testing isn’t new—clinics already test for certain genetic disorders—Nucleus’s approach is different and controversial. They use polygenic scores to estimate complex outcomes like intelligence and anxiety, which current science regards as probabilistic rather than definitive. Experts note these scores only predict relative risk within populations and aren’t precise enough to determine specific traits for individuals.

Despite this, Nucleus promotes their method as capable of evaluating personal risks and traits, citing a 2018 study that developed validated models for common diseases, mainly for aiding lifestyle decisions.

However, many are deeply alarmed. A tweet about the product has been viewed over 4 million times, with comments expressing disbelief and horror about the ethical implications. Critics argue that using such technology to choose embryos based on complex traits crosses moral boundaries and echoes fears of eugenics.

Nucleus has tasted this controversy before, with former products like Nucleus IQ, which claimed to assess genetic influences on intelligence. Critics called it pseudoscience, and the company attempted to defend its methodology.

Currently, Nucleus isn’t directly conducting embryo tests through IVF but partners with clinics via companies like Genomic Prediction. They accept voluntary data uploads from parents eager to explore these options.

CEO Sadeghi emphasizes that what was once controversial, like IVF, is now routine, implying that genetic engineering is a future inevitability. Nonetheless, many believe that ethical concerns about manipulating embryonic traits remain unresolved and potentially dangerous.