Female-Only Conception?

Women might soon be able to produce sperm in a development that could allow lesbian couples to have their own biological daughters, according to a pioneering study published today.

Scientists are seeking ethical permission to produce synthetic sperm cells from a woman's bone marrow tissue after showing that it possible to produce rudimentary sperm cells from male bone-marrow tissue.

The researchers said they had already produced early sperm cells from bone-marrow tissue taken from men. They believe the findings show that it may be possible to restore fertility to men who cannot naturally produce their own sperm.

news.independent.co.uk

This both impresses the heck right out of me and at the same time sends quite a shiver up my spine. On one hand its impressive in that it could restore the ability for couples to have children where previously they could not because of medical conditions inhibiting sperm. Theres no contest that such use would be wonderfully and a blessing to many.

However at the same time the idea that going this route would produce female-only offspring in the event it went that far (and we all know damn well that is exactly where they want to go with it, you don't come a hair away from such a breakthrough then back out) and its implications on society, namely making us men obsolete not to mention seriously tweaking with the natural order of things. The nature of conception is that it is quite literally a crap-shoot on weather or not the kid is going to be female or male; expectant parents get to wait in suspense and endlessly debate the names until they know for sure the sex of the child. I would seriously hope that the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority would see the potential for problems down the road if scientists push to take this line of experimentation all the way.

mod note: please delete this thread, there is a larger thread already under way and this one is useless.

For some time, I've felt that I wasn't really necessary.

Now, I know that shortly I'll just be used for mowing the lawn and picking out wine.

Oh what a strange world we're becomming.

I find this particularly interesting because I have run accross a couple of things lately that mentioned certain bloodline capabilities that can only be passed along by the female genetic line.

Always looking for syncronization...............