Introduction
Ever since cloning started, there have been questions about how safe and sound it is. In this case study I will be questioning these articles and answering these questions in my opinion. I shall use lots of reliable sources, which I can then analyse. There are lots of rules and laws when it comes to cloning of which I shall explore. I shall provide a debate for any that disagree with what I think, by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of cloning and to let others understand how I really feel about cloning. I am going to use this research efficiently and use lots of different sources to answer my case study - Should human cloning be allowed?
Facts
Did you know:
We leave our DNA around all the time, everywhere: on the door, on the table, on the keyboard… For the moment we couldn’t clone from it, but hey, perhaps later we may be able to clone you from the tiny bits of DNA you leave about!
Humans have far fewer genes than expected at 35,000 to 42,000, compared to the nematode worm with 18,000 and the fruit fly with 13,000. However, scientists say we may still have more – we don’t know the whole genome set yet and we may have missed some genes.
The difference between humans and fruit flies or worms is that human genes work differently, are capable of multitasking, and we have more control genes.
Most mutations occur in males.
In each of our cells, there are six feet of DNA packed into a chromosome only 0.0004 inches across.
Lining up all of the DNA in the human body, it would reach to the sun and back more than 600 times.
The information would fill 200 500-page telephone directories.
Our DNA is 99.9% identical to all other members of the human race.
The first cloned animal was a tadpole.
A calf was cloned from a side of beef.
Cloned animals age faster than normal animals.
Dolly, the first cloned sheep cloned by an adult inspired us to try to clone humans. Most Italians are against cloning.
Cloning is against all Catholics-their religion is against cloning.
Everyone's DNA is different, like a finger print, DNA is in you blood so police sometimes use it to see who committed a certain crime.
Human stem cells have been mixed with rat stem cells before, so we could start a new race, "Ratmen."
Questionnaire
Should human cloning be allowed? Explain
Should animal cloning be allowed? Explain
Do you agree with human organ cloning? Explain
Would you want to be cloned or be a clone? Explain
How would you feel if you were cloned? Explain
What advantages would there be from cloning? Explain
What disadvantages would there be from cloning? Explain
Describe what happens in the process of cloning? Explain
Would you choose to allow or disallow cloning? Explain
Articles
There are lots of different articles arguing the safety, the regulations, the rules and most importantly whether they agree or don’t agree with it. I am going to argue my case, which is against cloning.
Types of cloning
Nuclear Transfer
One type of cloning that has been in the news is called nuclear transfer. This is the process where the nuclear material from an oocyte or a female sex cell is removed and a somatic cell's or body cell's nucleus is inserted in to the egg cell. The newly formed zygote has the potential to divide into a blastocyst, and, if implanted, the zygote will form into a genetic copy of the organism that the somatic cell's nucleus came from. The objective for this procedure is to create genetic copies of individuals of certain species. Look at the graphs with the title: Nuclear Transfer Graph.
Questions and Answers
How might cloning increase the quality of society, family, and overall life?
How might it not?
What are the different points of view?
Which viewpoints do you agree with?
What evidence supports your view?
What are the pros and cons of your opinion?
What views do you disagree with?
What evidence makes you think this?
How trustworthy are the sources?
Were the articles written by scientists?
Does this make you believe them more?
What is the likelihood that cloning will be allowed in the U.S. and why?
Advantages - Arguments for cloning - Pros
- Produce animals with pleasing qualities.
- Increase the good organization of the livestock production.
- Even out losses of among endangered species populations.
- Enable better research for finding cures to many diseases.
- Provide children for parents who would like a child but can't have one for various reasons.
- Provide parents with an opportunity to clone a child who has died.
- You shall be able to find out how the clone feels about being a clone.
- Test the clones knowledge to see if the clone is as good as the average or better.
Disadvantages - Arguments against cloning - Cons
- Decline in genetic diversity.
- Taking nature into our own hands.
- Religious and moral reasons.
- Physical problems, such as birth defects.
- Possibility of mental and emotional problems of the clone.
- Every individual is meant to be different and unique from others, if you clone someone they will be the same
- They might be treated differently for being cloned or having a clone.
- They will not be respected as the usual human being, e.g. Publicity for what has happened.
- The safety of the procedure is unknown.
- It will cause harm to humankind.
- The person may be abused.
- Even if no abuse is intended, the child will be harmed psychologically.
- It’s unnatural. It meddling with God's creations.
- Cloning an animal and following through with the procedures, might be against animal rights.
- You would think you would only be cloned if they had your permission to clone them. Wouldn’t you agree? Well in some cases in which animals get cloned, they haven’t had the permission to clone the animal.
References - Here are some really helpful websites full of information about cloning:
http://www.sciencecases.org/dog_cloning/cloning.gif
http://biochem118.stanford.edu/Stem%20Cell.html
http://www.sciencecases.org/dog_cloning/dog_cloning_notes.asp
http://abc.net.au/science/slab/stemcells/default.htm
http://www.mrlwesternregion.org/images/dolly_cloning.JPG
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/cloning-plant.gif
http://afgen.com/cloning.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/05/0530_020531_clone.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3805/is_199907/ai_n8876700/pg_17
http://library.thinkquest.org/24355/
My science book
My brain
My family and friends
