Cloning Facts

Cloning is a process that creates a genetically identical copy of a biological

organism such as a plant, insect, bacteria, animal, or theoretically, a human.
Cloning has occurred naturally for billions of years in plant, fungi, and bacteria
species. Scientists have learned how to make a genetic copy of biological
material to produce genes, tissues, cells, and even a sheep named Dolly - the
most famous cloned organism to date. Contrary to science fiction, clones do not
always look identical to the host from which the DNA was taken. Cloning of
humans has not been successful despite attempts by scientists in some
countries. Cloning of humans is an extremely sensitive topic based on ethics
and the implications it holds for the future of humans.
Interesting Cloning Facts:
Cloning may make it possible to save endangered species from becoming
extinct.

The first successfully clones animal was Dolly, a sheep that was born in 1996,
in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the Roslin Institute under the guidance of Ian
Wilmut and his colleagues. There were 277 attempts before Dolly was
successfully cloned.

Plants such as strawberry plants have been cloning themselves for billions of
years. Strawberry plants clone by shooting out a runner, which then grows its
own root and begins to produce strawberries. Onions, potatoes, and even
grass clones in a similar manner.

People have been cloning plants since the beginning of agriculture. This is
done by taking a clipping of a plant and growing it into a new plant.

Tissue culture propagation is done by breaking up specialized roots and

growing the root cells in a rich culture. The plants that grow are identical to
the originals.

Some creatures in the wild are able to clone, including some worms, frogs,
lizards, and fish, under the right conditions. This type of cloning is referred to
as parthenogenesis.

Identical twins are a type of natural occurring cloning process. The children
are not clones of their parents but they are clones of each other.

Cloned animals have shown to have health issues such as defects in the
heart, liver, and brain, as well as increased birth size. They also age faster,
and have immune system issues. Dolly the sheep only lived to be 6 years old
when the normal life span of a sheep if 12 years.

Embryonic stem cells can be used to generate healthy tissue in a laboratory,

which may help to heal sick and dying people. These stem cells can be
produced through embryonic cloning but there is a moral debate about its use
as well as other concerns about its safety.

Cloning might help sterile couples have genetic offspring. Cloning of humans
however carries many issues in society and religion about human life and
identity. It is an ongoing debate.

Species that have been cloned include tadpoles, carp, mice, sheep, rhesus
monkeys, pigs, guar, cattle, mules, horses, dogs, wolves, water buffalo,
camels, and others.