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First Human Clone Eight Weeks Along

Vegeta99 writes "An Italian researcher is claiming ground-breaking progress, and has successfully cloned a human, and the mother is now 8 weeks pregnant, according to this article. Now how long until I can buy my own clone?" It's worth noting that the Roman medical associations bioethicists denied Dr. Antinori permission to proceed with these experiments last month. So doing the math, Rome was a little late... If the pregnancy continues without miscarriage, the tyke may share a birthday with Marie Curie

10 of 540 comments (clear)

  1. what's wrong with clones anyways? by ferrocene · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They're simply time-shifted identical twins!

    -e

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  2. Re:That'll be nice for the kid then by DataSquid · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Isn't having a bastard child still illegal in some places? It's only a matter of time before people relax/let slip their moral views on the whole thing like they did with kids bon out of wedlock. Lucky for me I was born in such a lax time.

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  3. Re:Stopping because of ethics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just because you deem it unethical doesn't mean I do.

    What's so fucking terrifying about it? I'm not being facetious or trolling here. Seriously, what's so bad about it?

    I don't see it as any more unnatural than testtube babies which have been aroud for a long time and no one seems to have any problem with it.

    Clones WILL grow up to be their own individuals, just like identical twins do. It's not the freakshow the movies portray it as. So... why not?

  4. Re:Stopping because of ethics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    But then again won't this just even things up a little, with poorer less educated people having tons of kids.

    apart from that rather obvoius troll, won't this be a good thing, natural selection isn't what it
    used to be is it?

    The ability to pass genes on is no longer limited to those that are best suited to survive (the fittest).

    So what is the modern day equivalent of survival of the fittest?

    Won't the race be improved?, especially if we could raise the average IQ a little, after all the traditional model would have had Steven Hawking eaten by a dinosour and his intellectual value would not have been realised.

    (yes I know we wern't around with the dinosours, please it's just a way of emphasising a point)

  5. This Guy is Nuts... by telstar · · Score: 4, Interesting
    "Like atomic energy, cloning can be used for beneficial purposes - to increase population and to open the window of genetic reprogramming." -Dr Antinori
    • And what world currently has an underpopulation problem?
  6. Arthritis and Obesity by emil · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I read an article some time ago that Dolly the sheep had developed arthritis and was suffering from obesity, both of these conditions being extremely rare for her age.

    This person that has been created may suffer from intense health problems. I consider this action to be extremely unwise, as it will play into the hands of extremists seeking a ban.

    I personally would like to see cloning technology developed, but used on humans only when it is both safe and effective.

    1. Re:Arthritis and Obesity by Ded+Bob · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It depends on what you want. There is no point or need in cloning an entire person. Once they can actually have a chance at performing brain transplants, successfully, there might be a need, but I do not see that coming for quite some time.

      What would be useful now is a way to clone a specific part of the human anotomy. Hearts, livers and kidneys should be where the experimentation is done. It also has the benefit of not treading against any morals.

      I have problems with cloning a human being but not the body parts.

  7. Gulfnews.com? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Er, if this was genuine, would GulfNews.com scoop every other news site?

    The Arab press is notorious for spreading rumours and poor journalism. (It usually has to do with "Jews controlling everything and killing everyone", but the general lack of journalistic skill due to the lack of free presses can also lead to crap like this.)

    It's possible, but I'd want to see confirmation before believing any of it.

  8. Telomeres by Davak · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Does anybody know the latest information regarding the telomere problem in clones?

    Telomeres are long stretches on the end of the chromosome that are cleaved off through the life of the cell. When a certain number of telomeres are gone, the cell knows to undergo death. Some cancer cells protect these telomeres... and thus are immortal.

    However, as clones are created from already aged cells... these clones have shorter telomeres. In theory, these clones should age differently. This may be the reason that Dolly already has arthritis, for example.

    Anybody with new news on this theory?

  9. Re:Relaxing moral views by uigrad_2000 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    It's hardly comparable.

    He suggests that euthanasia will soon be allowed for clones. You think it's improbable.

    The article mentions that there's about a 4% chance of deformation. I'm guessing that's a low estimate. The scientist is trying to sell people on the idea, so he's going to say something that sounds good. What if 5 of the next 20 cloned humans are badly deformed?

    If we don't "slide down the slippery slope", then those deformed children will be kept alive. Cloning of humans will be discouraged, because of the poor success rate (4% is a poor success rate too, IMNSHO), but it will still happen. Fertility drugs are discouraged for women who are fertile, yet they're abused from time to time too.

    In any case, neither option (euthanasia or deformed children) is good. You live in a dream world if you think that guy's worry is implausible. It certainly is worth discussing. I think you, sir, are the troll.

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