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A Giant Step in Cloning

Posted by samzenpus on from the a-barrel-full-of-clones dept.

mernil writes "The Independent reports: "A technical breakthrough has enabled scientists to create for the first time dozens of cloned embryos from adult monkeys, raising the prospect of the same procedure being used to make cloned human embryos."

12 of 239 comments (clear)

  1. hmmmm by theheadlessrabbit · · Score: 5, Funny

    now all we need to work on is cloning typewriters, and we'll be set!

    --
    -I only code in BASIC.-
    1. Re:hmmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      you can also be rejected by clones of Jessica Alba and Halle Berry. Whatever suits your fancy.

    2. Re:hmmmm by rrkap · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, after you've raised them as your daughters o_0 they still don't have accelerated aging, or accelerated education ;)

      You're right, not everybody has the patience of Woody Allen...

      --
      I like my beverages with warning labels!
  2. The English canon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I for one welcome our Shakespeare-typing overlords.

  3. hmmmmm . . . by spamking · · Score: 5, Funny

    If Michael Jackson is cloned, is it against the law for him to play with himself as a child?

    some of these are good

  4. one problem by ILuvRamen · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They still haven't solved the #1 problem with cloning though: why would I want another one of me? My exact genes aren't that great as is.

    --
    Google's Super Secret Search Algorithm: SELECT @search_results FROM internet WHERE @search_results = 'good'
    1. Re:one problem by vadim_t · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Replacement parts.

      Grow a clone without a brain to avoid the ethical implications. Keep it safely stored (frozen in liquid nitrogen?). If you need a transplant of anything you can get a new organ, fully compatible, and even better than before (lungs undamaged by smoke/contamination, etc).

      Might work as a way of living longer. Heart is not doing so well when you're 70? Replace it with one from a 20 year old clone.

      I could see modified clones being used. A gender swapped clone, a clone with blue eyes, fixed genetics to avoid diseases and cancer, etc. If you could move your brain to a new clone and keep this up long enough I could see people building a "perfect self", by fixing all the defects in each new iteration that they found in the previous body.

    2. Re:one problem by BigDogCH · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Grow a clone without a brain............."

      The problem here is clear. What if I need a brain because of a stroke, head trauma, or something?

      The key here is clearly to keep the clone sedated, and do a nightly robocopy or rsync to keep it updated. Also, the clone should be stored offsite, probably in a fireproof vault.

  5. Slashdotted by hey0you0guy · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here is the BBC News article since the original article seems to be down. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7094215.stm

  6. Re:Hmmm. by hairykrishna · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not that interesting - the humans 5000 years ago were basically identical to now. Only real differences are diet and lifestyle related

    --
    "Physics is to math as sex is to masturbation." -R. Feynman
  7. To-do list... by Wdomburg · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. Clone monkeys.
    2. Give them wings.
    3. Fly my pretties, fly!!! Fly! Fly! Fly!

  8. Scarlet by CarpetShark · · Score: 4, Funny

    why would I want another one of me?


    You're thinking about this cloning thing all wrong. Think Scarlet Johannson.