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This article from The Independent (UK) reports on research that indicates the future possibility of using stem cells from women to create sperm that would only produce daughters.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/artic...
I'll bet Aardvark would like to have had this when writing Sappho. What kind of new sci-fi stories can be based on this?
Amelia
Comments
Women's sperm
Ursala LeGuin has already been there, but I can't remember the name of the story. An earth colony is isolated and all the males die, but the women survive for generations.
Joy,
Jan
Now that's wrong wrong wrong
And it sounds immoral too........
Don't these scientist's have anything better to do? Like finding the cure for AIDS or cancer?
Thats my Story an I'm stick'n to it!
OMG," its full of Stars
Open the pod doors Hal.
Updates
What do you know, a sci-fi story I wrote less than two years ago is already out of date. Oh, well, I was going to re-write parts of Sappho someday, anyway, and, since sperm is still used in this process, albeit created from women, it wouldn't be so hard to change that part around. :)
It has practical uses among lesbians who want to father and mother their own children, but I'm not sure what else it's good for unless all the men die off suddenly in some catastrophe. Perhaps millions of lesbians could migrate to Canada, have children, eventually enough to vote in enough lesbian members to take over the majority in Parliament, and gradually take over the country with a set of new lesbian-friendly/male-unfriendly laws -- even create a race of Amazons of the far North. In the more mundane realm, interesting situations might result, such as a husband discovering that his wife's girlfriend is the biological father of "his" daughter. Now THAT could be awkward. TG uses are likely limited unless someone wishes to drop a guy into a situation where he is a distinct minority. Would he adapt to the culture? How would they treat him? Would he be like a King, a slave, a freak, or something quite different?
Aardvark
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."
Mahatma Gandhi
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."
Mahatma Gandhi
Hope for FtMs
Though not at all the purpose of the research (which is to learn more about the process of coaxing stem cells to become various types of somatic cells, which in turn might eventually lead to all sorts of medical breakthroughs, including quite possibly cures for cancer and AIDS), this provides hope for FtM transsexuals that one day they might be able to father their own genetic children. That's certainly as valid a goal as any other kind of infertility treatment. In the late 1970's I remember everyone freaking out about the first "test tube baby," which was really just in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Now it's done all the time and no one even bats an eye.
I'm not saying it's wrong-headed to be concerned about possible dystopian consequences of any scientific research. I'm just saying there's more to this than is apparent from the sensationalized reporting, which sells newspapers but tends to distort the researchers' motives and obscure the more likely outcomes.
I'm not worried about a world where men are deemed unnecessary or obsolete. The vast majority of women prefer them as sex partners even if they can't stand them in other ways. And I haven't seen any research to support the idea that a genetic daughter of two lesbians would be any more likely to be a lesbian herself than any other random girl (being born that way doesn't mean it's necessarily genetic - it seems more likely to be due to prenatal environmental factors). Though, presumably, her parents would be more likely to be supportive if she were.
It does make for interesting story possibilities, though.
The "V" bomb
In '71 there was "Sex and the High Command by John Boyd" featuring the "V" (for Vaginal) Bomb. Sort of a supository kinda thingie. Produced intense orgasms and triggered parthenogenesis in its users. Fun read... no sperm tho', from anyone.
Jess
"In this universe there are many strange interesting things. I like to think I am one of those Strange interesting things. "
"In this universe there are many strange interesting things. I like to think I am one of those Strange interesting things. "
Various points
Progress in medical science is something I approve of, regardless of the immediate consequences - or lack of them - with the exception of epidemics (the story Acidilia is scary). As justme indicated already, it can lead to results you're really badly wanting.
As for cure of cancer: there are many people who survived it and got cured. Granted, you better be fast to act against it and even if you are you could still be unlucky, but it's far from 100% lethal these days. My personnal opinion would be that prevention of cancer should get more attention. I believe fighting pollution would go a long way to reduce cancer.
As for AIDS: that disease is a lot less important then the fame it gets. It's rather lethal, but it does only affect a very small group and doesn't spread easily. A lot more people die each year from the flu or a common cold.
Going back to the topic of the research one could at first glance predict the extinction of men (leaving only women) based on it. I guess in a strictly reproductive sense, this could be true. I'm not sure this scenario deserves the label 'nightmare' as it would at least solve sexism :D
Those who see a lesbian society growing from this I have to 'disappoint'. Last time I looked scientists placed sexual orientation (and sexual identification for that matter) as resulting in the way our brain was made to be in our mothers womb. They accuse various hormone levels of determining that result. DNA determines the building plan, but if external factors influence the builders the result is not according the plan. This would result in homosexual and transsexual people. Without manipulating DNA to try for lesbianism (something I believe is currently still out of reach) this 100% female population would be mostly unhappy about those missing men.
All in all it *could* save humanity if one of those fictional stories about killing of men ever became real.
Hugs,
Kimby
Hugs,
Kimby
Point correction
"As for AIDS: that disease is a lot less important then the fame it gets. It's rather lethal, but it does only affect a very small group and doesn't spread easily. A lot more people die each year from the flu or a common cold."
That statement may be true for the US or other developed countries, but if you look at worldwide numbers, it's flat out wrong.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS :
"Most researchers believe that HIV originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century;[4] it is now a pandemic, with an estimated 38.6 million people now living with the disease worldwide.[5] As of January 2006, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it was first recognized on June 5, 1981, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. In 2005 alone, AIDS claimed an estimated 2.4–3.3 million lives, of which more than 570,000 were children.[5] A third of these deaths are occurring in sub-Saharan Africa, retarding economic growth and destroying human capital."
From WHO's influenza fact sheet (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs211/en/index.html ):
"Although difficult to assess, these annual epidemics are thought to result in between three and five million cases of severe illness and between 250 000 and 500 000 deaths every year around the world."
Another point that has to be considered in comparing influenza to AIDS is that flu is a short term illness and most people recover from it completely, while HIV/AIDS affects every victim for life. AIDS therefore places a much larger cost on humanity through both the cost of medical care and related social services and the loss of productivity in the world and local economies.
Amelia
"Reading rots the mind." - Uncle Analdas
"Reading rots the mind." - Uncle Analdas
Hmmm... Interesting....
Hmmm...
I might have to add that into my story. I wonder if sperm can become eggs. I mean, MtF would like to be moms!! I think this will be added to my story. Part 10 and 11 will be up soon!! (Watch for it!)
TG Sine
Scary...
...that people so buy into their prejudices that they would consider this a viable alternative to nature.