Shepherds still exist. Unlike their European counterparts centuries ago, however, many of today’s American herders tend hybrids with human hearts, brains, livers, and a potpourri of other homo-sapiens attributes.

The Greeks called them chimeras: lions, goats and serpents fused into terrifying animals; author H.G. Wells’ named them manimals in his novel “The Island of Dr. Moreau.” Some contemporary critics simply refer to the biological amalgams as Frankensheep.

While genetic research surges forward, some are beginning to get nervous. The ethical aspects of the experiments are blurring the once well-defined line between what’s morally right and wrong.

Is that line being crossed? Some say yes.

Geneticists create living human-animal chimeras, 3/26/11

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