Table 1

The statistically significant keywords that were considered for this study, ordered by log ratio score

When commenters describe the EctoLife video as a work of fiction, they often refer to it as science fiction, horror fiction and/or dystopian fiction. Often, these genres are used to negatively evaluate the technology presented in the video, with multiple users referring to artificial wombs as ‘dystopian sci-fi’, ‘dystopian nightmare’ or ‘dystopian hell’. Some users acknowledged that the video is not real, as in (1), where the video is described as a ‘sci-fi project’, and they refer to Hashem Al-Ghaili as the author of a fictional work:

1. this video isn’t even real. It’s a video someone made for a

Others, however, interpreted the video as reporting real-world scientific developments and expressed strong negative reactions to the video using references to religion, as in (2), where EctoLife is described as ‘satanic’, and in other posts where EctoLife is described as being against the will of God. Meanwhile, some users expressed resistance to EctoLife by claiming that the creators are in some way ‘playing God’, as in (3).

2. This is horrifying [sic] than any . Disturbing and

3. Seems like a preview to a . Maybe we should

Sometimes the genres co-occurred, showing that users drew connections between them, as in (4) and (5), where sci-fi and horror, and dystopian and sci-fi were mentioned as being in some way hybrid:

4. Wtf is this. A trailer for a movie? If so, I’m intrigued. If real, burn than [sic] crap to the ground please.

5. This feels like a world we’re entering.

These are interesting comments because they reflect a debate within science fiction studies about the nature of science fiction and whether it is a genre in its own right, or better thought of as a hybrid genre. Indeed, Baker argues that ‘the attempts to revise the very name of SF (to, eg, speculative fiction) indicate the unease within the genre with attempts to define it, to categorise it, to bring it to heel’ (Baker 2014, 19). This is certainly supported by the many YouTube commenters who considered science fiction, horror and dystopia as often being blurred.

Both the visual aspects of the video and the description of the technology’s capabilities prompt these hybrid genre comparisons. In terms of visuals, users describe the EctoLife facility as a ‘massive factor[y]’, as in (6), thus focussing on the size of the facility and the number of fetuses therein. Multiple users refer to its ‘brutalist’ appearance (7), while some refer to the incubators themselves as being evocative of science fiction, as in (8). Thus, the factory design is integral to triggering negative responses in viewers.

6. Having babies begotten by sounds

7. Why did you have to make this so ?

8. baby incubators

Other users, when arguing that EctoLife was not real, suggested that the visual and sound elements of the video are too akin to science fiction to be taken seriously, as in (9) and (10).

9. This is a concept using a ton of stock videography, , and an incredible amount of junk science

10. I’m not sure how seriously to take this, given that they’re trying to sell it with

Certainly, the way the video is presented adheres to what scholars might describe as the ‘visual language’ of science fiction (Telotte 2001, 17–19)—especially in terms of the industrial design of the lab facility, dark colour scheme and computer-generated effects, which appear as a ‘foregrounded attraction’ (Cornea 2007, 250). Indeed, the video exhibits the same ‘devotion to technological display’ that Cornea notes in her analysis of science fiction cinema Cornea (2007); especially the way it emphasises the remote surveillance of pods in a way that is reminiscent of George Orwell’s dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)—a point we expand on later in this article.

Beyond surveillance, the genetic modification aspect of EctoLife also prompts comparisons with dystopian fiction and horror, leading to many negative evaluations. For example, some users likened this aspect to what they have seen in specific works of fiction such as Andre Niccol’s dystopian science fiction film Gattaca (1997), which has genetic modification at the centre of its plot. Meanwhile, others referred to a more general concept of ‘sci-fi movies’, as in (11), where these films are negatively evaluated as providing inspiration for the technology. These negative evaluations are expressed through strongly emotive language, as visible through the insult ‘sick fuck’ and appeals to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Thus, genre references and emotive language combined to strengthen the negative reactions to the video.

11. Someone watched too many growing up. This is straight from the mind of Satan. Gene editing humans? What would think they could and customize people to their liking? Please Lord Jesus come soon

Users also considered the possibility that the widespread use of an EctoLife facility would result in a future dystopian society with a malevolent end goal. For instance, one comment (12) echoes the plot of Brave New World to some extent by insinuating that, as a ‘dystopian next step’, EctoLife could be used to create classes of people based on their wealth. However, it is interesting that the commenter did not explicitly reference Brave New World, as this could suggest that the influence of this work goes beyond those who have read the novel or seen a film adaptation of it.

12. : poor peoples [sic] babies are class D. Middle class get C and B, depending on skillset. Rich people class-A, skillset does not matter. And lab grown are S-tier, future leaders of politics and economy. Your number limits your possibilities in life, jobs and so on

To argue that EctoLife is part of a wider dystopian narrative, other commenters draw on the often anti-Semitic language used by popular conspiracy theories (Christiansen and Au 2023; Flores 2022; Pautz 2016). This is demonstrated in references to ‘the Great Reset’, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and ‘New World Order’ (NWO), as in (13).

13. So Dystopian this is the 100%

The Great Reset refers to a somewhat broad conspiracy theory that the COVID-19 pandemic was orchestrated by world leaders to take control of the world economy (Christiansen and Au 2023). The name comes from the ‘Great Reset initiative’, an economic recovery plan created in 2020 by the WEF to address the effects of the pandemic (Christiansen and Au 2023). The NWO is a related term, which refers to ‘a conspiracy theory in which adherents believe that a cabal of powerful elites is secretly implementing a dystopian international governing structure that will grant them complete control over the global populace’ (Flores 2022). In conspiracy theory contexts, ‘globalist’ refers to the agenda of the so-called ‘elites’ controlling the NWO, as they are framed as seeking global control and domination—an agenda that transnational organisations (such as the WEF) are seen as promoting (Pautz 2016). It is unclear whether commenters believe that Al-Ghaili himself is part of the conspiracy, or whether EctoLife could instead be used by others for nefarious ends.

Specifically, some commenters argued that EctoLife could be used to achieve the goals of those who support the notion of a Great Reset or NWO by creating obedient humans. For instance, in (14), the ‘NWO’ is constructed as beneficiaries of EctoLife who wish to 'replace humans with robots’ in order to have ‘full complete control’.

14. They are trying to this is the they want to erase humans so that they can have full complete control

As Christiansen and Au (2023) suggest, conspiracy theories can thrive in contexts where information on a topic comes from multiple sources, and it is unclear which sources can be trusted. The resulting feeling of overwhelm can lead those interested in such topics to seek a theory that appears to explain the phenomenon in straightforward terms. The topic of complete ectogenesis certainly lends itself to this, given that as the technology is still in its infancy and many different representations of it exist in fiction. Furthermore, similarities can be drawn between certain visual elements of the EctoLife video, such as the low brightness and use of dark colours, and videos that propagate antiscience conspiracy theories (Chen et al 2022). This has clear implications for future science communications on complete ectogenesis, as visually prompting associations with common conspiracy theories should be avoided whenever possible.

The terms robot, robots and robotic appeared when commenters argued that EctoLife would be used to replace human children with robots, and are common in the dataset, despite the fact that robot children did not appear in the original video. Although some commenters explicitly referred to the conspiracy theories noted above to make this argument, this was not always the case. Others linked the idea of humans being replaced with robots to current technological developments, such as artificial intelligence (15), while others viewed humans becoming (or being replaced by) robots as inevitable, as in (16):

15. This world is being and most . 21st century is the end of the human era I think.

16. This is mad no one do it I swear at this point

Some commenters referred to the infants produced via EctoLife as being robots themselves, as in (17), where being ‘human’ was framed as antithetical to being a ‘robot’ in a form of grammatical parallelism. Others combined these notions in a single phrase such as ‘human robot’ or ‘biological robot’, as in (18). This indicates that some commenters did not perceive robots as necessarily shiny metal entities and, instead, as flesh and blood.

17. They are

18. they are making .

Interestingly, these concepts perhaps unknowingly allude to the first ever recorded use of the word ‘robot’, as used in the 1920s with Karel Čapek’s play R.U.R., or ‘Rossum’s Universal Robots’ (Čapek 1920). In his original use of the word, Čapek described robots as ‘humans capable of work but not thinking’ (Čapek quoted in Horáková and Kelemen 2008, 285)—thus blurring the distinction between human and machines right from the very start (Ryder 2020). In making these arguments, users raise concerns that infants created using the EctoLife technology would be ‘programmed’ using this technology to carry out the will of their controller. This controller was typically seen as a ‘government’ or ‘state’ as in (19) but was also sometimes referred to ambiguously using the third person ‘they’. This lack of autonomy is also framed in the absolute terms ‘complete’ and ‘unquestioning’. This sets infants who are naturally gestated apart from infants created using the EctoLife technology.

19. the , completely loyal to them. Who will , work for food

Meanwhile, some users suggested that those born this way would lack emotional depth and would be ‘soulless’, as in (20); or that they would be unable to show love and kindness to others, as in (21). In (21), the term ‘soldiers’ suggests that EctoLife could be used for military purposes as the children would not feel compassion for their fellow human beings and thus could act as effective soldiers. As (21) shows, human ‘soldiers’ are equated to ‘robots’ due to lacking these qualities that are framed as innately human. This theme is visible in other works of fiction referenced in the dataset, such as Star Wars, as we discuss below.

20. They want to breed human-like creatures that you don’t know what’s been injected into

21. This is just an excuse to grow soldiers, [sic] but cheaper to sustain

This perceived lack of emotion and autonomy, in turn, led commenters to believe that infants created using EctoLife would be violent towards humans. This is framed in terms of an ‘army’ or ‘armies’ being created, as in (22), where it is suggested that EctoLife infants will influence or kill ‘real people’ in order to replace the humans who were not created ‘with the minds of robots’. The terms ‘army’ or ’armies’ were used to refer both to EctoLife being used for military purposes and to the sheer number of people being created. Users also highlighted the physical strength of the infants, as in (23), where ‘high strength’ is contrasted with ‘low intelligence’ and unthinking subservience. To some extent, this theme is also visible in Brave New World, where the Delta and Epsilon (the lower class) citizens are created for the purpose of unthinking manual labour and, as a result, are created to possess physical resilience and low intelligence (Huxley 1932, 11–12). Overall, these findings indicate that avoiding allusions to robot-like behaviour is key to avoiding negative reactions to the technology.

22. so you’re telling me you can make with the since birth? them to submit to every single order given to them, and use them for 70years either to [sic]?

23. I think we should be worried. Maybe this will halt robotics research. I mean why keep going. Build a bunch of low intelligence who can live on this sludge they grow babies with.

By way of counterexample, one commenter (24) acknowledged the potential positive applications of the technology alongside the genetic modification aspect, which they considered to be ‘dystopian horror’. On the rare occasion that users acknowledge the potential positive applications of the technology, they tended to discuss it in terms of making it easier for women who do not wish to experience pregnancy, for those who are infertile and for men not in relationship with women. They also discussed the reduced risk of genetic abnormalities in the child if the EctoLife technology were used. Despite these potential benefits of the technology, the majority of comments below the EctoLife video were overwhelmingly negative:

24. This is amazing for people who find themselves to be the exception; the ones who survived cancer and lost their womb, or etc. But, Jesus, the lengths they want to go with this type of stuff, to modify genetic data like a character creator in some game… .

Meanwhile, multiple commenters critiqued the video’s language, with users arguing that word choice evoked comparisons with dystopian fiction. Specifically, the video claims that the parents will be able to control aspects of the technology from their home, and their home is referred to as their ‘zone’. Commenters described this as dystopian as in (25), highlighting how word choice (from science communicators or others) can affect the perception of scientific developments.

25. 2:00 track your babys [sic] health from the comfort of your *zone* - the hell is

Overall, our findings show that users predominantly react to the EctoLife technology in a negative way, drawing on common tropes from the genres of horror and science fiction to anchor their arguments to pre-existing, well-established concepts. This negative response includes the capabilities of the technology, how it is presented and the potential ways it could be exploited by nefarious actors.

When referencing science fiction, horror and dystopian fiction, commenters considered the role that works of fiction from these genres play for their readers. As opposed to being interpreted simply as sources of entertainment, science fiction and dystopian fiction are commonly interpreted as predicting the future, whether that be because science fiction can be viewed as ‘inspiration’ or because science fiction authors themselves are seen as predicting future developments:

26. …just as yesterday’s sci-fi is today’s reality…partly because , but before all mostly because sci-fi conceptors tend to use their ability to glimpse, to have inklings into the most probable future (of humanity…)

Most users who claimed that science fiction and dystopian fiction predict the future argued that works of fiction from these genres should be interpreted as warnings against the use of harmful technology in the future. This is often expressed with somewhat vague references to ‘books’, ‘movies’ and science fiction generally, as in (27), where the quantifier ‘all’ is used to emphasise the sheer volume of science fiction works with this supposed warning message, and so express incredulity at those embracing the EctoLife technology. This is in contrast to referencing specific works of fiction (discussed below), which is comparatively rare.

27. and still there’s a lot of idiots embracing it.

This is also visible in (28), where the commenter made general reference to ‘the plots in those dystopian stories’ without specifying the details of these plots. This demonstrates an orientation to a wider cultural understanding of what dystopian stories entail, as opposed to a specific facet of the genre. Where more details are specified, such as the mention of ‘a dystopian government’ using the technology to control its population in (29), specific works of fiction are not named.

28. I’m disgusted by and here we are with psychopaths trying to recreate them in real life! Disgusting!

29. this tech has been featured in books where a about your life

Furthermore, some commenters suggested that the creator of EctoLife had taken inspiration from works of science fiction, claiming the creators had wrongly interpreted science fiction as a ‘documentary’, ‘blueprint’, ‘handbook’, ‘instruction manual’ or ‘how-to guide’, as in (30), as opposed to the warning that works of science fiction are (supposedly) intended to be.

30. So, when you guys watch science fiction dystopian movies or read those types of books… you didn’t see them as cautionary tales? You saw them as freakin’

These layperson interpretations of the purpose of science fiction are somewhat reflected in Miller (2012, 15), who has suggested that ‘science fiction […] always reflects our reality, but it also points the way to other possibilities—it is both cognitive (realistic) and estranging’. Indeed, Fitting (2010, 138) referred to this reflection-of-reality as a ‘foundational characteristic’ of science fiction, especially in the way that it links our hopes and fears for science and technological progress. Although both Miller (2012) and Fitting (2010) have recognised the potential for science fiction to be hopeful and point to more positive utopian ways of living, the EctoLife video most strongly evokes the dystopian aspect of science fiction—which science communicators should avoid when working in this area. Nevertheless, these comments indicate that elements of the video which resembled science fiction led to commenters believing well-established warnings were being ignored by the developers of the technology.

A smaller number of commenters argued that the purpose of science fiction is to prime its audience for incoming technological developments that the science fiction authors are aware of, but the public are not. This is commonly discussed in terms of ‘programming’, as in (31), where works of science fiction are seen as factual, and the presence of technology that appeared in science fiction from the 1970s is given as evidence of this.

31. They were not fiction movies when they become reality…Most if not all the gadgets that were shown in Sci Fi movies of the 70s are all realities today

Although this comment itself does not provide specific examples, it is notable that we can read the tricorder device from Star Trek as a precursor to the widespread acceptance of handheld computer technology (smartphones) in everyday life. Other examples include the ‘artificial intelligences’ and AI assistants described in works such as Robert A. Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (1966) and Frederik Pohl’s Gateway (1976). When statements such as those in (31) draw on real-world developments in their argument, fact and fiction are viewed as indistinguishable. This is in line with definitions of science fiction that discuss its ability to reflect reality (Fitting 2010), but it complicates efforts in science communication where it is important to distinguish truth from fiction.

Based on the keyword and key semantic domain analysis, the works of fiction that are most commonly referred to with regard to the EctoLife video are the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones (and the subsequent animated shows titled Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and the 1932 novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. It should be noted that the terms in ‘The Media: Books’ are used overwhelmingly to refer to Brave New World, although certain religious texts such as the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelations are also discussed.

Star Wars and Brave New World are, arguably, vastly different works in terms of being different forms of media, produced at different times and with different tone and plot. Nevertheless, both explore themes of the population being controlled, although in very different ways with the Empire exerting violent control in Star Wars, and the government (the World State) exerting control by manipulating embryos and psychologically manipulating its population in Brave New World. The protagonists of each fictional work rebel against this control. Both texts are also extremely popular, with Star Wars being one of the most high-grossing media franchises of all time (Statista 2024) and Brave New World being adapted into films and television shows even today (eg, the 2020 adaptation on Apple TV) and being taught in schools. Indeed, Kendal (2018) notes that the popularity of Brave New World certainly contributes to the amount it is referenced in academic texts compared with other works of speculative fiction.

The connection between Star Wars and Brave New World has also been observed in the academic literature, with Dinello (2005) making a direct link between the film Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones and the incubation wombs mentioned in Brave New World (211). It is also interesting how the Star Wars depiction of cloning and artificial wombs aligns so closely with the Brave New World depiction, with one science fiction vision being shaped by another, restating and reaffirming the same fears Huxley made evident in 1932. Indeed, Sweet (2016, 55) notes in Star Wars how ‘the nearly endless rows of oversized test tubes inhabited by developing clones are reminiscent of the stream of goods often associated with an assembly line’). In the case of Star Wars, the clones become a kind of manufactured commodity—much as the newborn infants are manufactured commodities in EctoLife.

These works of fiction are particularly relevant because the technologies they present, specifically the artificial womb technology and gene editing capabilities, have either ‘come to fruition’ (Dinello 2005, 190) or seem increasingly imminent. It is not so much a question of whether the technology currently exists. Rather, the world it presents seems plausible, moving from ‘the foreseeable future to the immediate present’ (Paschalidis 2000, 43). This is certainly the case for gene editing due to the creation of the gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 (Ran et al 2013), and for ectogenesis where partial ectogenesis technology is presently being developed (eg, Partridge et al 2017).

Furthermore, the fact that commenters drew on such dystopian works arguably reflects a zeitgeist characterised by polarised politics and fear of increasing government encroachment on personal freedoms (eg, Kim et al 2023). Indeed, comments that expressed fear over EctoLife being used to limit personal freedoms do not exist in a vacuum separate from the political context within which they were written. For example, the overturning of Roe v Wade in the USA and the consequences this has had for reproductive rights may legitimise these fears. Meanwhile, on the political right, some resisted the lockdowns and vaccine measures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic as this was seen as infringing on personal freedoms. This shows how, across the political spectrum, people’s perception of emerging technology may be affected by (inter)national events.

When Star Wars is mentioned by commenters, it is in reference to the army of clones who are created to fight with, and then ultimately betray, the Jedi. Commonly, users note that the EctoLife video reminded them of the ‘clone wars’, the main conflict in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, which is between the Republic and the Separatists (who were secretly led by an evil Sith Lord). References are made to the EctoLife technology being used to create a ‘clone army’, as in (32). Multiple groups are constructed as beneficiaries of such an army, including the military as in (32) or a company using the technology to create ‘slaves’ for commercial purposes, as in (33).

32. …or ! The military might make use of that

33. A huge company will take this to make .

Similar to how the term ‘robot’ is used to describe humans born from the artificial wombs, ‘clones’ here are described as easily controllable and so can be used for nefarious ends. Occasionally, commenters showed in-depth knowledge of Star Wars and extended the reference to include ‘Order 66’, which is the command that turns the clone army against the Jedi, as in (34).

34. Reminds me of clone wars in star wars…Then what happened? As the Clone Wars draw to a fiery close, Chancellor Palpatine begins his endgame and brands the Jedi Knights enemies of the Republic.

By referencing this, commenters implied that the children created using EctoLife could be turned against other people and would not have the capacity to think for themselves. Overall, this reflects users’ distrust of the technology in a way which echoes the conspiracy discourse discussed above.

As for Brave New World, the novel is arguably the single most famous science fiction novel to describe ectogenesis, genetic engineering and related techniques (Seed 2008, 477). In the novel, citizens are created in artificial wombs in a facility called The Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre. In this facility, the intelligence and physical features of the embryos are engineered to create a caste system with its citizens, and each caste is designed to fulfil a specific purpose in society. This is then reinforced by psychological conditioning and through the population using a drug called soma to suppress strong emotions and elicit a feeling of happiness. Seventy per cent of the female embryos created in the Hatchery are sterile, meaning that the Hatchery is the primary means of producing new people in Brave New World. Commenters referenced these elements of the book to draw comparisons between the setting and the creation of children in the EctoLife facility, and they implied that the technology would be used in a similar way. For example, this is evident in (35), where the commenter argued that the EctoLife facility would be used to create ‘engineered babies…manipulated for some specific careers’, thus directly referencing the caste system in Brave New World. This theme of a lack of free will also echoes the discussions surrounding Star Wars and various uses of the word robot(s) as described above.

35. This is right out of Aldous Huxley’s book “Brave New World”. I pity this & future generation’s [sic] of . They may not be telling their clients yet that the babies brains will be manipulated for some specific careers, could be Janitors or Assassins’!

Interestingly, several users such as in (36) also quoted directly from the end of Brave New World, where John (also referred to as The Savage) rejects the lifestyle of those living in London and proclaims his desire to experience strong emotions and potentially negative events. By aligning themselves with this quotation, these commenters seem to be rejecting the EctoLife technology and what it represents for them.

36. “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.” —Aldous Huxley, Brave New World Brave new world is going to be the future, combined with 1984.

Also visible in (36) is the commenter referencing George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), and several commenters made a similar connection between the two novels. Nineteen Eighty-Four, like Brave New World, is a dystopian novel set in London. In both novels, a totalitarian government rules the people—the Party led by Big Brother Nineteen Eighty-Four and the World State in Brave New World. Both novels explore how one might rebel against such governments. Both novels explore the theme of control over the people, which is achieved through use of technology and psychological conditioning. In Nineteen Eighty-Four, ‘telescreens’ are used to conduct mass surveillance on the people and ‘doublethink’ (the ability to believe two contradictory beliefs at once) is encouraged so that the people accept the Party’s rewriting of historical events and facts to suit their ends. Furthermore, there is a class system in both novels, with the upper class in Nineteen Eighty-Four undergoing less surveillance than the middle class and the lower class ‘proles’, and having access to more luxuries. The novels do, though, significantly differ in the way that they ensure compliance from the public, with the citizens in Brave New World biologically altered to feel content with their lives, whereas the citizens in Nineteen Eighty-Four are controlled through fear, surveillance and torture, as Huxley (1958) himself noted. Overall, this suggests that users may be less interested in drawing on the nuances from each work that they mention and instead rely on their similarities.

Comments that elaborated on the details of Brave New World were rare. Most commenters only gave the name of the book in their comment with no accompanying information. When discussing the book in more general terms, users referred to the dystopian setting of Brave New World and argued that the book acts as a warning against supporting technology such as EctoLife. For example, in (37), the commenter described Brave New World as a ‘dystopian nightmare’, which is at risk of becoming realised:

37. If ppl [people] don’t wake up soon this is Aldous Huxley Brave New World dystopian nightmare come to life!!

Some users also interpreted Brave New World as predicting future technological developments and so they argued, in strongly emotive terms, that such technology must be opposed in order to avoid apocalyptic consequences, as in (38), where ‘grinning vacantly’ can be interpreted as referencing the effects of the soma drug. However, it should be noted that the world does not end in the novel, thus showing how the YouTube commenters add their own interpretations to the novel, and do not draw solely on its content.

38. In 1932, Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World as fictional description of a dystopian future. Less than a hundred years later… wave the magic wand… *poof*… here we are… plunging headlong into Armageddon and grinning vacantly.

Commonly, users tell one another to read Brave New World due to its perceived relevance to the EctoLife technology. However, despite this recommendation, which would suggest that the person recommending it has a strong knowledge of the book, many users gave different dates for its publication (1929, 1931, 1932, 1934 and the 1950s), despite the book being widely available (see: Huxley 1932). Meanwhile, one commenter incorrectly names Isaac Asimov as its author, and another misremembers there being four classes in the book as opposed to five. These incorrect details, combined with the lack of detail in most of the comments referencing the novel, indicate that these users are perhaps not as familiar with it as their comments suggest. As a result, they may be drawing on a certain common cultural memory of what the book is about, rather than their own personal knowledge of it. This arguably reflects a key facet of science fiction as demonstrating ‘an awareness [our emphasis] of the effects and importance of science and technology […] the role of technology as a tool for social transformation’ (Fitting 2010, 139). It is this awareness that shines through most strongly in the comments under the EctoLife video, as commenters are aware of key texts from the genre as opposed to specific details. What is important is the feeling that the science fiction conjures—a kind of intellectual shorthand for the message that these key works of science fiction deliver. This also echoes observations from Chan (2009, 298), who argues that Brave New World is used as ‘a form of metaphorical shorthand for an underlying argument’ in the academic bioethics literature as well.

Not applicable.

The study was approved by the Faculty Research Ethics Committee at Lancaster University (reference FASSLUMS-2023-3673-RECR-1) and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Research Ethics Committee at the University of Southampton (reference 99779). The study was approved by two universities because the lead author moved institutions. Consent was not obtained from the YouTube commenters due to the public nature of the data. Furthermore, the large volume of data made it impractical to obtain consent from every individual user. It should be noted that no identifying information about users (including usernames) is presented in the study, and the discussion of the linguistic features of the data will focus on patterns observed across the data. Although it is important to quote directly from the data due to the linguistic focus of the research, a search engine query does not reveal the content of the YouTube comments.