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UK Scientists to Create Embryo From Two Women
An anonymous reader wrote to mention a BBC story about a UK research group that has been given permission to create a human embryo with genetic material from two women. From the article: "The groundbreaking work aims to prevent mothers from passing certain genetic diseases on to their unborn babies. The researchers are focusing on a group of conditions called mitochondrial myopathy, which include types of muscular dystrophy. These cause muscle weakness and wasting, making it difficult to move normally - some may need to use a wheelchair. At present no treatment for these exists, although things can be done to help with the symptoms. "
Having had my aunt die due to her muscle dystrophy (heart is also a muscle, remember?) I'm for one glad that research is done in the subject.
I wonder how long time it'll take until we can get rid of the genetic defects which we otherwise risk pass on.
I think sperm was used to fertilize both eggs.
That aside, what's wrong with sex not being used for reproduction? Many problems might be avoided if everyone were to be sterilized young and then must make a sane choice (when sober and old enough) in order to become pregnant via these techniques, which still require development in a womb.
Plus, tons of free lovin' without consequences. That's what I'm talking about.
Curiously, the DNA in the mitochondria use a slightly different genetic code than our nuclear DNA does; genes have moved from the mitochondria to the nucleus over time, but the process is not complete. It's believed that mitochondria come from an ancient endosymbiosis event.
Time is Nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once... the bitch.
Up until a while ago people percieved this magic or spiritual connection between child and parents. Today it is all just genes. Manipulate then anyway you can and create custom children, with selected features.
There was an episode of Sliders with a slightly different setup but the same conclusion. ("Love Gods"). It was a whole lot like another episode where LOL WOMEN R THE LEADERZ ("The Weaker Sex").
We recently had heard in the office over one of the Yellow Machine that's made by Anthology Solutions.
though much popular thinking surrounded the creation of artificial wombs, women would soon be able to reproduce without the aid of men.
The artificial wombs are the easy part; the genetic material from the male in mammals is activated in a way that genetic material for the female is not, and a zygote with genetic material from just females will not develop.
Ah yes, every man's fantasy... I've seen this plot several times and always wondered...
First there is the question of how many men are there?
I always loved the stories where it's only a single man. Talk about something being blue; not from under use, but from over use. Lets not even think of the genetic problems.
So you start with a small cache of men. You still have the problem of too many woman. So you limit who can breed. How?
Each day ovulating women line up outside the facility, naked save for a pair of high heels, and bearing gifts of food and assorted lagers. The men choose the ones they find most attractive, then those must face off in an exotic dancing competition to determine who may enter and be serviced.
Not bad. It'll limit the population, but that is probably a good thing. However, you still have multiple problems. I wonder, if you use your criteria, would natural selection give us a race of attractive, over-sexed humans? You could broaden the scope to include intelligence. How long would it take for the intelligent, attractive woman to just take over?
Of course, you leave out the most important problem. My great, great, great, great uncle through marrage was a polygamist. It was kept a dark family secrat along my Grandfather's line. When my Grandfather married my Grandmother, he shamefully told her about this distant relative. Her responce always amused me, "Any man who can put up with being married to more than one woman at once has my respect." I wonder, what would it be like to have a planet full of woman demanding that you take the garbage out? Worse yet, at that time of the month. Talk about the stuff of nightmares.
It's a good fantasy, but lets hope it stays that.
As for two woman having a baby that's geneticly theirs. Fantastic! It's one less road block to same-sex marrage. Yes, couples can adopt. However, almost everyone wants to continue their genetic line. It's how we gain immortality.
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Isn't it simpler to tell these people carrying fatal genetic flaws to not have biological children? Rather than figure out how to pass on defective genes and have a kid living a screwed up life, go adopt a healthy child!
It's ludicrous that couples frequently put their desire to have a child ahead of common sense when their child stands a significant chance of being abnormal or handicapped. I've heard of people who keep trying to have kids, knowing that there is a %50 chance of passing on serious genetic defect. Also related are Downs kids. It's proven that males siring kids very late in life dramatically increases the chance of Downs to as high as 1-in-20. Don't be selfish about wanting kids when the odds are so high!
So, the slippery slope is a fallacy? Well let's see what the a NAZI propagandist had to say:
Nazi Herman Goering on Military Recruting
"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
It worked for the NAZIs and seems to of had worked for Bush after 911. Now, dispite there being a constitutional ban on imprisoning someone indefinately without being charged, a federal appeals court has ruled that the government holding Padilla is legal.
FalconShould there be a Law?