h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK, hold onto your horses on this one.

A very important in-vitro technique was pioneers at a clinic on Miami Beach (I know, seems like a wierd place for a fertility clinic given the number of womb less couples that live in that area).

Anyway, 2 years ago, the first successful implant using eggs grown for 5 days instead of 24 hours was conducted by a friend of mine that works at the clinic. (Yes, he is a sperm doctor - and a heck of a bluegrass guitar player). They got lots of news coverage (CNN etc).

This new technique (grow them for 5 days and stick a couple in) requires less eggs to be implanted and has a much better success rate then the tradional (grow them for a day and stick a bunch of them in) technique.

Again, this is just one of those fascinating facts that years from now folk will wonder why in vitro is done this way. Well, you can thank those nice sperm doctors in Miami.