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"I just can't be politic. I never learned how to do that and I don't like doing that. I think it's false."
- Harlan Ellison
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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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'Chris, the City Fathers are not interested in your welfare; I suppose you know that. They're interested in only one thing: the survival of the city.'
'Drake was the young spatial engineer he employed to terraform the little rock...'
'It diverts integers of the data, the fundamental message-units, so that they no longer agree.'
'Clothes are no longer made from dead fibers of fixed color and texture that can approximate only crudely to the vagrant human figure...'
'Books were just a commodity that had to be produced, like jam or bootlaces.'
