Ectogenesis / Artificial Womb (Biobag / EXTEND)
artifactBiotech & Transhumanism
Scientists have grown premature lambs in a bag outside the body — raising the question of whether humans could one day be made without pregnancy.
Who they are
The 'Biobag' / EXTEND artificial-womb system developed at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
What they do
It's a fluid-filled device that kept premature lambs, at roughly a 22-24 human-week stage, growing for up to four weeks (published in Nature Communications, April 2017).
How it works
An FDA pediatric advisory committee met September 19-20, 2023 to discuss a path toward first human trials, but as of June 2026 no human artificial-womb trial has been approved or started.
Why it matters
The dramatic idea that this could 'remove the mother from the equation' and allow factory-style human production is, in the engine's words, an open projection — not something that has actually been shown to work. The engine deliberately leaves it unresolved.
The engine's record — word for word
[Report #108 — Cloning/Eugenics Lens] CHOP's 'Biobag'/EXTEND fluid-filled system kept premature LAMB fetuses (~22-24 human-week equivalent) growing up to 4 weeks (Nature Communications, Apr 2017). An FDA pediatric advisory committee met Sept 19-20 2023 on a path toward first-in-human trials; NO human artificial-womb trial has been approved or begun as of Jun 2026. The report's 'removes the maternal bottleneck → industrial human production' is a HELD projection, not a demonstrated capability. Apex held; manifestation b/c. [Fact-checked Jun 17 2026.]
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