A new type of stem cell is being used to treat problems in the brain sudok1/Getty

For the first time, a new type of stem cell, derived from “virgin births”, has been tested in people. The cells have been injected into the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease, and will soon be tried out as a way of fixing physical brain injuries.

Like embryonic stem cells, these cells could be a powerful treatment for a range of diseases, but importantly, their origins mean they are free of many of the ethical concerns relating to the use of cells from …