Although this subject, which has been discussed for years, comes to the fore again from time to time with the developments in cloning studies, scientists say that cloning is not yet possible and has not been done yet.
However, of course, as in many other issues, we can hear strange news from time to time that this process is done in the shadow of all these discussions in human cloning. So is there any truth to these news? What does science say about the possibility and difficulties of human cloning? How does the ethical issue, which is the most important debate, affect human cloning studies? ‘Science or Fiction?’, which we previously discussed about transferring the human mind to a computer and life on a planet other than Earth. The new topic of our series is human cloning. Let’s take a look at the details together.
Let’s Start at the Beginning: What is Cloning?
Cloning, in its simplest definition, can be explained as the creation of a genetic copy of a living species by asexual reproduction method. All DNA sequences of the clone are identical to the genetically copied donor. So again, in its simple form, it is an exact copy.
How is Cloning Performed?
Cloning is done by two different methods. The first of these is the ‘artificial embryo matching’ method, which actually mimics the naturally occurring method that enables twins to become ‘twins’. This method is realized by imitating the method that creates twins in a laboratory environment. In the first moments after the fertilization of the egg and sperm, at the very beginning of fertilization, each half of the embryo continues to divide on its own and eventually develop into separate, complete individuals. Since they develop from the same fertilized egg, the resulting individuals are genetically identical. The artificial embryo method also applies this process exactly, but the process is done in a petri dish instead of the mother’s uterus, and then the surrogate is placed in the mother’s uterus.
The other method is known as ‘somatic cell nucleus transfer’ (SCNT). In this method, the nucleus of an egg cell is removed and the remaining cell contents are fused with the somatic cell taken from the creature to be cloned. This egg cell is then given a signal to initiate division, and an embryo begins to develop. This is the method that scientists use when cloning many animals. For example, Dolly, who made cloning a development that everyone is aware of, was cloned with this method.
Cloning is actually a method that scientists often use:
Cloning is now a common method used by scientists on a variety of animals, although it may have remained with Dolly for many. This concept, which existed before Dolly the Sheep, has been abundantly realized after. Cows, cats, deer, mice and even a monkey species were cloned with the same method.
More interestingly, it has even become a kind of trading material now. So much so that it is possible to create an exact copy or clone of your pet; of course, by paying a substantial sum of money.
Let’s come to the most important question; Is it possible to clone humans?
It is very difficult to give a clear answer on this matter. The reason is that any kind of work on human cloning is banned in many countries of the world. However, especially after a news from China in the past years, this debate has flared up again. This news was about the first cloned monkeys. In fact, although more than 20 mammals have been cloned over the years, studies on monkeys have often been unsuccessful. However, in 2018, news came from China that would change this information completely; A primate species has been cloned for the first time. The primate species in question was the macaque monkey, and two healthy clones were born. When it comes to cloning a primate, he immediately brought the subject back to human cloning.
What fuels the controversy is the lack of a strict ban on cloning in China. This often leads to claims such as ‘human cloning studies are being carried out in China’. However, since such a study will garner a great reaction in the rest of the world, although it is an open answer to the doubt; Even if there is, it is not possible for us to learn. At this point, he says that many scientists from China do not have any studies on human cloning ‘due to the existing reactions and bans in the rest of the world’. Scientific circles also think that they will withdraw themselves due to the reaction of the scientists who will do this.
But if we look at it from a scientific point of view and try to give an answer; human cloning, that is, the creation of a genetic copy of a person and being born in a surrogate mother’s body is not ‘impossible’.
Why is human cloning work banned, why is it getting backlash?
First of all, let’s consider this prohibition from a scientific point of view; As you can imagine, most of the scientific studies done during the cloning process fail. A clone is born in the few trials where everything goes well after hundreds of trials.
For example, 63 surrogate mothers and 417 eggs were required in the macaque monkey cloning studies we just mentioned. Only 6 of them resulted in pregnancy.
Likewise, only one out of 100 cloned embryos survived in studies carried out until Dolly the sheep was born. There have also been clones born with major defects in various cloning studies. This causes many authorities to not allow such experiments on humans. Because such experiments are not ethical.
Another part is society’s view of human cloning. Many studies on societies so far show that the view of human cloning is not very warm. The idea that the human species reproduces ‘without reproducing as we know it’ is very important at this point. As a result, the society has not yet accepted this idea, and we can say that it is uncertain whether it will continue in the future.
Still, there are places where ‘restricted’ cloning of human embryos is allowed for scientific research;
The main point in this regard is to create an exact copy of an adult human and bring it into the world. However, apart from this, especially for research to be done in the field of health; For example, cloning studies that will allow the production of compatible organs to be used in procedures such as organ transplantation are a grayer area. There are various researches in this field, which is called therapeutic cloning. But this is not a cloning process in the sense that we mean when we say ‘human cloning’. It is done to contribute to health science and to fight diseases effectively, and a clone does not come to the world.
Let’s end with a different perspective: Imagine one day you were cloned; Will your clone be the same person as you?
Since we have answered general questions such as is it scientifically possible or ethical, let’s bring up the issue of human cloning with a different perspective. In the human cloning process, which we encounter especially in science fiction movies, futuristic or dystopian stories, ‘the cloned human is exactly the same; there is an image that is ‘that person’ with everything. Naturally, this brings such a scene to life when we think of a human clone.
But actually that is not the case. Because, in addition to genetic and physical characteristics, another factor that creates people is environmental factors. In addition, all kinds of ‘story’ such as experiences, experiences make the person unique. So if you are cloned, your clone will not actually be the same person as you, even though they have the same genetics as you. Because the way he experiences life, the environment and conditions he lives in will change completely.
Also, in science fiction movies, we see that clones exist directly as an adult, not as a newborn baby. However, this is not possible scientifically, and no scientific study carried out so far allows for such a situation.
What are you thinking? What do you think is the place of ‘human cloning’ in the future of humanity? Do not forget to share your views with us in the comments, see you!
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