Sheep Have Been Cloned...Are Humans Next?

News & SocietyEvents

  • Author Jillian Gregory
  • Published October 29, 2005
  • Word count 533

Do you enjoy watching forensic science shows like CSI? Are you

interested in genetics and the intricacies of DNA? Genetic

engineering that deals with the human genome and DNA has become

a hot bed for discussion in recent years. Advancements in

forensic science have helped law enforcement to nab criminals

and solve previous "cold" cases. Understanding the components of

the human body and human nature is valuable information that is

a welcome notion of safety for most.

While many would agree that using DNA as evidence is a good

idea, manipulating human genetics is another issue. Cloning has

surfaced as a debate with moral and ethical implications. Sheep

have been cloned. One rationale for cloning animals was to

provide more food to starving nations. Is cloning safe? Is

creating a replica of an animal ethical? What are the long term

effects of cloning?

Many people wonder if cloning humans will come next. Will it be

a like a horrible old science fiction movie? How does the

cloning process occur? How do scientists and doctors create a

clone?

Stem cell research is also an issue discussed on many political

shows and at dinner parties around the country. Is stem cell

research ethical? When does life technically begin? Stem cell

research can help to save a great number of people suffering

from disease, but at what cost?

These are complex genetic engineering questions that require a

great deal of knowledge before you can make an informed

judgment. Become educated about genetic engineering issues by

listening to exciting, cutting edge audio books on the subject.

You can listen to them in the car on the way to work or on your

morning walk.

The human body is a fascinating piece of science. Start by

exploring the building blocks of the human body. Listen to DNA:

The Secret of Life by James D. Watson. James D. Watson provides

a comprehensive account of the genetic revolution. He has fifty

years of experience on the subject. He explains the genetic

revolution views in the past, present, and what to expect in the

future.

Want to relive one of the most dramatic races in biology? Check

out The Genome War by James Shreeve. This thrilling audio book

details the race to map the human genome. Listen to the

scientific adventure of a lifetime!

Concerned about the ethics and moral implications of genetic

engineering? Want to know more about each side of the issue?

Check out these great audio books to add to your deep well of

knowledge. Listen to Enough: Setting Limits on Human Genetic

Technology by Bill McKibben and Altering the Blueprint: The

Ethics of Genetics by Alexander McCall Smith. Both of these

audio books explore the ramifications of altering human

genetics. Will humans lose their identity? Will altering human

genetics create babies that are "made" instead of born?

Interested in other science topics as well? Check out the

Science Friday Podcast. It covers science, health, technology

and the environment.

Human DNA, genetics, and cloning will be a focal point of

research for many decades to come. Understand the facets of

human biology so that you can make informed judgments about any

biological issues that may come your way.

Jillian Gregory writes for LearnOutLoud.com,

an online portal for educational and self-development audio and

video material which can be found at http://www.learnoutloud.com

For the HTML version of this article complete with links to the

titles that were mentioned, please visit

http://www.learnoutloud.com/ge01

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