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CLONING Alicia Seitz Cloning is the creation of an organism that is an exact genetic copy of another. This means that every single bit of DNA is the same. This has been done naturally in nature with identical twins and it has been done artificially since around the 1950s though it has improved over time to the stage where scientists can even clone mammals. The purpose of cloning in scientific exploration and cloning may one day be able to help people needing new organs. Cloning is done in a couple of different ways. Artificial embryo twinning and somatic cell nuclear transfer. Artificial embryo twinning is done by mimicking the natural process of creating identical twins. In nature twins occur after fertilization when the zygote tries to divide into a two celled embryo and the two cells separate; each developing on their own person inside the womb. ...read more.


Reproductive cloning is used to make a genetic copy of an already existing animal. This is the more well known of the two types using somatic cell nuclear transfer. Therapeutic cloning is the production of human embryos for research. Unlike reproductive cloning the purpose is not to clone a life form in another life form but to harvest stem cells that develop knowledge or organs that can help cure diseases. Therapeutic cloning can be used to make organs but not a life. Stem cell research is learning about how an organism develops from a single cell and how healthy cells replace damaged cells in adult organisms. Stem cells can be used to harvest organs just like therapeutic cloning. Though there are many benefits present in cloning, especially therapeutically, there are dangers and cloning raises ethical concerns. ...read more.


Though there have been many attempts to clone life, most of the attempts did not work and ones that do actually live, like Dolly, suffered premature illnesses and died much younger than would be expected of a normal animal. Though there are many risks to cloning I think therapeutic cloning and stem cell research should be allowed. The zygotes made for this research would be just that. Made for research. They could save lives of many loved ones. In the case of reproductive cloning, I am not so sure if it should be allowed to continue or not. It is not only very interesting but very exciting and could be tolerated an extent. I think animals should be allowed to be cloned. This way individuality is not taken from humans and we can save genetic material from endangered species. Overall, I think cloning is an important step for society to take, medically and scientifically, yet mostly socially. ...read more.

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