A Berlin-based scientist has unveiled a novel solution forEuropes tumbling birth rates: the worlds first artificial womb facility.
DubbedEctoLife, the concept is the brainchild ofHashem Al-Ghaili, a Yemen-born biotechnologist and science communicator.
Al-Ghaili claims a single building can incubate 30,000 babies a year.
Its the future that your unborn child deserves.
Just peruse all the amenities that the designer fetus will enjoy.
All the developmental progress is sent directly to the parents phones.
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
Another feature caters to a niche customer segment: people whod ratherbea fetus than have one.
All this fun makes it easy to forget that your unborn-child needs to eat.
But dont worry: all the sprogs sustenance and excretion needs are managed by two bioreactors.
One pumps nutrients and oxygen into an artificial umbilical cord, while the second ingests the waste products.
Its a bit like turning chicken shit into chicken salad, or regurgitating your own vomit.
Then remove the bambino from the pod, and enjoy the fruits of EctoLifes labor.
Naturally, the system also incorporatesAI, renewable energy, and, err, eugenics.
Customers who purchase the elite package, can genetically engineer their embryo before implantation.
What could possibly go wrong?
Unfortunately, there is one tiny issue with the facility: it doesnt yet exist.
But in Silicon Valley, plans are afoot to turn the fantasy a reality.
Big brains unite
Improving birth rates is one ofElon Muskscountless pet projects.
Musk is terrified that there wont be enough kids tolabor on his future Martian colony.
To avoid this tragic fate, the tycoon has sent a clarion call out to his millions of followers.
We should be investing in technology that makes having kids much faster/easier/cheaper/more accessible.
Synthetic wombs, etc,tweeted Sahil Lavingia, the CEO ofGumroad, an e-commerce startup.
Synthetic wombs would remove the high burden of pregnancy, significantly reducing the inequality.
Disparities in economic success between men and women are far larger once marriage+children enter the picture.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
