Bristol seems to have a knack of being in the forefront of controversial developments in medical science. Michael Dillon, the first trans man to undergo full medical transition, began his journey while living in Bristol during WWII. Years later, Bristol was the location of the world’s first Test Tube Baby birth. Louise Brown was born on July 25, 1978. She has just written her autobiography. My guess is that her life has been nothing like what Heinlein imagined in Friday, but she is nevertheless a hugely important figure in the history of the way that humans meddle with their own biology. If nothing else, what she and her family went through in the years following her birth is a valuable case study in how modern society treats the results of such meddling. If you are interested in Louise’s story, you can pre-order the book from my friends at Tangent.