Tech
Can’t bear to say goodbye to your pet? Biotech’s got you covered.
Publication: MIT Technology Review
Author: Jessica Hamzelou
Source published: 16/10/2026, 09:00:00 UTC
Briefing created: 16/10/2026, 09:17:19 UTC
Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 16/10/2026, 09:05:24 UTC.
Briefings
The author recounts a childhood loss of a cat named Peppy, who went missing at age 10 and was never found. Over 30 years later, the author reflects on biotech options for pet longevity, including drugs, cloning, and cryonics, while expressing a personal refusal to pursue these technologies due to ethical concerns about replacing pets. The article highlights the market for pet preservation services and the emotional impact of pet loss, contrasting human grief rituals with the lack of equivalent support for animals.
Key points
- The author lost a cat named Peppy at age 10 when she went missing and was never found.
- Lori Kogan, a professor at Colorado State University, notes that while humans have funeral rituals, pets lack equivalent support, leading to 'disenfranchised grief'.
Context
The article explores biotech solutions for pet longevity, including drugs, cloning, and cryonics, while emphasizing the author's personal stance against these technologies due to ethical concerns about replacing pets.
Limitations
The author's personal history regarding Peppy is incomplete, including the specific date of her death and the exact circumstances of her disappearance. The article does not provide data on the efficacy of the longevity drugs or the success rates of cloning or cryonics for pets.
Generated by Bittrees-hosted qwen35-2b sha256:aaf42c8b7c3c on 16/10/2026, 09:17:19 UTC. Based on publisher-provided feed evidence; may not cover the full original article. Check the source for details.
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