Curiosity Matters: the Discovery of a Powerful Type of Stem Cell [Science Philanthropy Alliance video]
Janet Rossant discusses the nature of basic science, and how the study of blastocysts led to the discovery of the pluripotent stem cell, which can develop into all the cells of the adult body. Rossant notes that advances in chemistry (flourescent colors) and physics (microscopy) were necessary for stem cell research to progress.