Scientists Make First Genetically Modified Embryo

For the first time, scientists have been able to genetically alter a human embryo. Researchers used an abnormal embryo that could never have developed into a baby to do the project.

The project raises the possibilities that people could be able to create designer babies in the future and scientists could insert certain genes into an embryo to produce babies with certain characteristics, such as higher intelligence and better athletic abilities. Some people think that this is wrong and turns children into designed objects and would create an unequal society where some people would be considered genetically superior while other people who are born without genetic injections would be inferior.

Scientists say that the main point of the project was to find out if a gene injected into an abnormal embryo could be traced in stem cells that are harvested from the embryo. The work could also explain why abnormal embryos don’t develop. Scientists found that abnormal embryos don’t develop well enough to produce stem cells.

Woman Stopped While Trying to Bring Skeleton on Plane

A 62 year old woman was stopped at a Munich airport after baggage control handlers found the skeleton of her brother in a plastic bag with her luggage. She and her 63 year old friend were taken away by police after a scan of the plastic bag showed a human skull and other bones. The women were trying to travel from Brazil to Italy.

After questioning, it was told that they woman was trying to fulfill the last wish of her brother to be buried in Italy, who had died 11 year earlier in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The woman gave the appropriate papers from Brazilian authorities for the transport and was allowed to take the skeleton to Italy.

Scientists Produce Human Embryo Clones

There are scientists in California that have made embryos that are clones of two different men. The embryos were made using ordinary skin cells. The next big thing they are waiting for is to make a human embryonic stem cell line from cloned human embryos. Scientists think that stem cells from cloned embryos could be used to study diseases, screen drugs, and make transplant materials to treat conditions, such as diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

The problems with cloning human embryos include, creating human lives in a laboratory purposely to destroy them to benefit and help other people, there are health risks involved in the process, and exploiting the women who are asked to provide eggs.

The cloning process works by injecting DNA from a person into an egg. The egg would grow into an embryo in about five days. Then, stem cells would be extracted from the embryo.

Journal of Stem Cells: http://stemcells.alphamedpress.org

Info on Stem Cells: http://stemcells.nih.gov

Scientist Say that Human Race Might Split Into Two Species

An article claims that the human race might split into two subspecies with one being tall, slim, and intelligent and the other being short, ugly, and not smart. Click the link to read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,305505,00.html