• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

An artificial womb successfully grew baby sheep

Status
Not open for further replies.
Inside what look like oversized ziplock bags strewn with tubes of blood and fluid, eight fetal lambs continued to develop — much like they would have inside their mothers. Over four weeks, their lungs and brains grew, they sprouted wool, opened their eyes, wriggled around, and learned to swallow, according to a new study that takes the first step toward an artificial womb. One day, this device could help to bring premature human babies to term outside the uterus — but right now, it has only been tested on sheep.

It’s appealing to imagine a world where artificial wombs grow babies, eliminating the health risk of pregnancy. But it’s important not to get ahead of the data, says Alan Flake, fetal surgeon at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and lead author of today’s study. “It’s complete science fiction to think that you can take an embryo and get it through the early developmental process and put it on our machine without the mother being the critical element there,” he says.

Instead, the point of developing an external womb — which his team calls the Biobag — is to give infants born months too early a more natural, uterus-like environment to continue developing in, Flake says
.

http://www.theverge.com/2017/4/25/1...uterus-lamb-sheep-birth-premie-preterm-infant
 

Kayhan

Member
Come to think of it, with sperm banks men are obsolete too.

The robots can just grow a human for nostalgic reasons.

"The world as it once was. Just look at this squishy, primitive, thing!"
 

ponpo

( ≖‿≖)
Come to think of it, with sperm banks men are obsolete too.

The robots can just grow a human for nostalgic reasons.

"The world as it once was. Just look at this squishy, primitive, thing!"

The Second Renaissance.
 

sh4mike

Member
Could provide a constant ideal environment for the fetus -- perfect nutrition, minimal discomfort, and no risk of illness contagion. Lowering mortality rates, striking the concept of miscarriage, and increasing mean IQ. Plus no stretchmarks. =p

Interesting to see where this goes.
 

Kayhan

Member
"Biobag" is...ew.

latest
 
I prefer "meatbag"
Damnit beaten by Kayhan

Meatbag doesn't seem as insulting to me, because I like to be reminded of how much meat I have. I'm very proud of my meat.

Biobag is a harsh reminder of all the bio I've got going on, most of which is unpleasant.
 

Laekon

Member
Could provide a constant ideal environment for the fetus -- perfect nutrition, minimal discomfort, and no risk of illness contagion. Lowering mortality rates, striking the concept of miscarriage, and increasing mean IQ. Plus no stretchmarks. =p

Interesting to see where this goes.

What do you mean by this? Miscarriages can be from genetic defects and random mistakes in RNA created by the fetus itself.

I'd also argue against the perfect nutrition aspect.
 

turmoil

Banned
It would be awesome if people that can't/don't want to go trough pregnancy someday are able to just mix their dna, put it an a bio-oven and wait.

But I am worried about countries using it to foster their economies/military.

Also less people would be out there trying to adopt kids.
 

Madness

Member
It’s appealing to imagine a world where artificial wombs grow babies, eliminating the health risk of pregnancy.

Is it really appealing to grow babies inside of artifical sacs/wombs ala Matrix? Yes pregnancies carry health risks, mental and emotional stress. But I don't think it is that appealing at all. Maybe for someone, especially a woman who wanted kids but did not want to be burdened with a pregnancy etc.
 

Geist-

Member
People are worried about designer babies and artificial wombs, but all I can think is if we can get universal healthcare and get those things covered under it, it would be the best possible future. Women wouldn't have to endure any risks for carrying a child and if it comes with the ability to remove any defective genes and create the best possible version of 2 or more parents, who are we to deny that to future generations?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom