Clone or Twin? Let’s Find Out…
By Ioana Moga
Cloning? Seems impossible, doesn’t it? It had always been something that we would watch with fascination in animations, on TV. But what would you say if I told you it finally became reality? Yes, cloning is real, so let me explain it and the risks it can come with.
Let’s start with the basics. Essentially cloning is the process of creating a genetically identical copy of an organism, therefore having immense potential to revolutionize the medicine and agriculture industries, it can also come with several ethical concerns and a lot of risks. One of the key benefits of cloning is the ability to alter the medical industry. Scientists may create genetically identical animals for medical research, perhaps helping them better understand diseases and discover new treatments. Cloning might also be used to create transplantable organs, potentially saving many lives.
This whole process started all the way back in 1885. Crazy, right? Even though some clones are already present in nature, in that year German biologist Hans Driesch demonstrated that blastomeres of two-cell sea urchin embryos could be physically divided, resulting in the formation of two complete embryos from each blastomere. This was the first time artificial embryo twinning, which involves splitting embryonic cells in the early stages of development, has been shown. Each split cell continues to develop and can be transplanted into a surrogate.
However, cloning has been questioned for its potential impact on animal welfare. Cloning can cause a high risk of miscarriage and birth defects, and clones may be more vulnerable to health problems. Furthermore, others argue that cloning is animal exploitation and violates the animal’s autonomy.
Cloning raises ethical considerations about the value of human life. While human cloning is currently illegal in most countries, there are concerns that technology may be used to create “designer babies” or for other unethical purposes. The notion of creating a perfect human being goes against the natural order of things and might have significant consequences.
So, there you have it folks — cloning, the concept that was once just a figment of our imagination, is now a reality. Cloning has the potential to revolutionize the medical and agricultural industries by better-understanding illnesses and developing novel therapies, as well as protecting endangered species and generating organs for transplant. However, the significant danger of miscarriage and birth deformities, as well as the possibility of animal abuse and violation of their autonomy, must be considered. Who knows what other fantastic discoveries await? Only time will tell. Until then, retain an open mind and a desire to explore the unknown.
Thank you for taking the time to read my article! If you enjoyed it, please give it some claps 👏🏻, share it 📲, and follow me on Medium 😊. If you have any questions or comments please leave a comment below! I welcome all feedback!
