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"...being predictive, being right about the future, is not the point of any given story or novel. The point is about exploring as wide a range of possibilities as possible."
- Peter Watts
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| Birthing egg | ||
| A chamber for in vitro fertilization (IVF), combining the DNA of two people to produce a child, without all the usual bother. |
Another unique and interesting concept from this story. At present (2003), it is not possible to go from ovum and sperm through fetus to child in an artificial environment. IVF can result in a fertilized egg, but that egg must then be implanted in a woman's womb. In this story, ovum and sperm are not even necessary; the necessary DNA is supplied by the partners in the form of blood, sputum or other samples.
| A new window opened on John's windshield. IT showed the large clear birthing egg. The egg had a fine clear skin of pseudodiamond. The fluid inside was a mix of dark red blood and yellow nutrient sap. Denise had had the egg custom-made. She and John both put blood samples into it to seed the fluid. That kept their consciences clear and kept her body in shape. The pink fetus kicked against the side of the bloody egg and turned itself slightly. |
| Technovelgy from Nanotime,
by Bart Kosko. Published by Avon Books in 1987 Additional resources -
|
In the novel, the use of the birthing egg is an interesting way to add to the sense of psychological distance between the characters in this near future Earth. In this highly technological society, you get the impression that (for the protagonist of the novel) it is difficult to get close to other people. The very notion of "person" is challenged by the chiphead technology in use.
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'And he had been sent with troops, supplies and bombs to command Russia's most trusted post, the Moonbase.'
'What is your population', I asked. 'About eighty millions.'
'THE autobus turned silently down the wide street of Hydropole. Robot-guided, insulated from noise and cold...'
'The car had no steering wheel, and no one drove!'
Now that's power walking that Hugo Gernsback would have approved.
'It was disturbing to think of the Flatline as a construct...'
'...he rewired the delivery robot so that it would serve him midnight snacks.'
'On went the electric-yacht faster and still faster.'
'...the huge vessel had spun, with a sickening lurch, through a complete half-circle, the instant the power was reversed.'
'...he realized that it was not quite a clear lens. Speckles of colored brightness swirled and gathered in it.'
