Back to the Future: A Womb Away From Home

Flash Forward

Long time listeners of Flash Forward might feel like this future is kind of… familiar. And it is. It’s actually the first future we ever traveled to on this show. A future where humans have invented artificial wombs. And this is a special bonus episode of Flash Forward where we’re going to go back and revisit that future, because a new piece of research recently came out about artificial wombs. I’m calling this, a BACK TO THE FUTURE episode.

Related reading:

Fluid-filled ‘biobag’ allows premature lambs to develop outside the womb

An extra-uterine system to physiologically support the extreme premature lamb

Early Ectogenesis: Artificial Wombs in 1920s Literature

The Man Who Ran a Carnival Attraction That Saved Thousands of Premature Babies Wasn’t a Doctor at All

The World, the Flesh & the Devil An Enquiry into the Future of the Three Enemies of the Rational Soul

The Hermetic and Alchemical Writings of Paracelsus

Daedalus, or Science and the Future

Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth, and is part of the Boing Boing podcast family. The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky.

If you want to suggest a future we should take on, send us a note on Twitter, Facebook or by email at [e-mail]. We love hearing your ideas! And if you think you’ve spotted one of the little references I’ve hidden in the episode, email us there too. If you’re right, I’ll send you something cool.

And if you want to support the show, there are a few ways you can do that too! We have a Patreon page, where you can donate to the show. But if that’s not in the cards for you, you can head to iTunes and leave us a nice review or just tell your friends about us. Those things really do help.

That’s all for this future, come back next time, and we’ll travel to a new one!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices