Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia and Dexeus University Hospital have achieved the milestone of recording human embryo implantation live and in three dimensions for the first time. This novel ex vivo model uses a collagen matrix to mimic the uterine environment, allowing detailed observation of biomechanical forces during implantation. Insights from this work, published in Science Advances, promise advances in fertility treatments by targeting implantation failures, which cause a large proportion of miscarriages. Comparative analysis with mouse embryos has revealed common mechanisms, such as integrin-mediated adhesion, underlying embryo attachment to the uterine lining.