The abortion debate has devolved to the zygote version of a LOLCat. A lady got an ultrasound, and her unborn child looked like it was smiling. Thus, "a baby can experience feelings such as happiness" earlier than previously thought.

Here's LOLFetus, smiling from the pages of right-wing British rag The Daily Mail. It is 17 weeks old, and much like a LOLCat, people keep trying to put words in its mouth. They ask, What does LOLFetus have to say about abortion politics?



The doctor who discovered LOLFetus says the tiny creature's face is a revelation:

This is a joyful expression of the humanity of the foetus. I have seen a foetus making a crying face at around 18 or 19 weeks, but not a nice smile. This is the earliest on record—it is just a delight.

He doesn't think LOLFetus is expressing emotions—he's just interested in fetal development in general. (Another doctor speculates, "it could be the facial muscles getting together in preparation for sucking and feeding." Or, you know, a random fluke as a fetus writhes about during an ultrasound.) And though The Daily Mail is pretty sure LOLFetus "will prompt further calls from doctors and campaigners to lower the upper abortion limit from 24 weeks" in the UK, the cheshire child's parents have so far avoided politics:

Your primary concern at that stage is that you have a healthy baby but to see the foetus smiling was absolutely fantastic.

This is, of course, an objective truth. Seeing smiley faces in places you least expect them is always fantastic.