Comments on: A Short Celebration Of Human Ingenuity

By: ianpeatey

ianpeatey — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:25:18 +0000

I hope so! Thanks for the kind words, Chris.

By: ianpeatey

ianpeatey — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:22:48 +0000

Lori – I guessed it was you! I never had one of those ‘Mousetraps’ but was always envious of anyone who did.

And that sperm thing sounds like one of those things that we do because we can and not because we should.

By: Chris Edgar

Chris Edgar — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:43:12 +0000

Hi Ian — well, I think that’s where you come in — helping to bring the world to a state of consciousness where we can use the technologies available to us responsibly.

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:35:52 +0000

By the way, Anonymous is me, Lori.
I hit the submit button as I realized I forgot to fill in the name/email/website header.

Talk about absent-minded professor!! ha

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:33:47 +0000

I loved Mousetrap! Ha! I forgot about it, but you just reminded me of it. I think I should’ve studied to be an engineer as opposed to a molecular biologist.

About the centrifugation – the guy submits sperm to a lab (yes, in a vial), they spin it really fast and the X- and the Y-containing sperm separate from each other. The Xs are a bit heavier than the Ys (with that extra arm, as you know), so those cells migrate to the bottom of the vial.

It’s certainly not a guarantee, but definitely tips gender the chances one way or the other – depending on which gender of child one wants.

Freaky, yes?

Have a great week, Ian!

By: ianpeatey

ianpeatey — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:36:03 +0000

Hi Walter. And the wonderful thing about clouds is that it only takes a little sunlight to burn them off. There is hope for us I think!

By: ianpeatey

ianpeatey — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:33:30 +0000

Yep, you’re right! The Email my Mum sent me had some caption about it being made by students from tractor parts and it’s now in a museum somewhere. It sounded pretty feasible .. but checking it out .. completely made up. It’s from the DVD as you say … Animusic – A Computer Animation Video Album , to give it the full title. I confess I haven’t seen the DVD but it does sound intriguing! And ingenious!

By: ianpeatey

ianpeatey — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:27:18 +0000

Yes I do remember those things .. there was even a game called ‘Mousetrap’ where you made such a contraption!

I haven’t heard of that centrifugation device – freaky! Presumably the guy needs to get into the machine just before sex? Or is it like ‘the pill’ and only works on the woman? Or am I missing some obvious design flaw here?

PS Yes, I did find the Vit K! No needles for this baby at birth!