First human clone--Eve

I have been following Raelian newsfor a while since some of their ideas have sparked my curiousity. I think they’re mad, but they’ve got some extremely accomplished scientists in their cult. Accomplished enough to create the first human clone.
They just had a seminar in Taiwan a couple weeks ago. Did anyone attend this or have any information?
Well, according to world reports, Eve has been born. An exact replica of her 31 year old American mother.
Four more are to be born before Chinese new year.
Cloning seems a very natural step to me, but it’s also freaky when you really sit down and think about what it could all mean in the future.
See the Clonaid site.

The clone is not an exact replica, it merely has the same dna pattern. Even that is debatable. Errors (mutation) can occur in any copying process. As far as I can tell, even if the cloning process is perfected in humans, it doesn’t really change anything in the short term. In the long term(clone of a clone of a clone…), clones would adapt at a slower rate and lose out on many of the advantages of sexual reproduction. The most interesting thing will be how different a clone turns out from the dna doner (my prediction). I don’t think the shit will really hit the fan until people start genetic engineering on their progeny (clone or otherwise) and have successful results. That’s when it will REALLY suck to be poor.

Interesting that they have no pictures of baby Eve. At least none that I could find.

J.

Who are the accomplished scientists? They look like a bunch of total fruitcakes.

p.s. Q: Why do cult leaders always wear white robes? A: Because they don’t have to do their own washing.


Care for another slice of fruitcake, my dear?

Aren’t these the people who claim (correctly, no doubt) that they can receive transmissions from aliens using the hair on their heads as antenna?

“Accomplished enough to create the first human clone.”
…uh, hang on. I have to feed my pet rock.

[quote=“wolf_reinhold”]Aren’t these the people who claim (correctly, no doubt) that they can receive transmissions from aliens using the hair on their heads as antenna?

“Accomplished enough to create the first human clone.”
…uh, hang on. I have to feed my pet rock.[/quote]

No that was Danny from Withnail and I

Questions that are not answered about cloning are that while the clone has the same DNA make up… as cig man says, there are lots of errors inherant in the process. I think that I have read that Dolly (the sheep) has had all sorts of health problems that her mother never had, which the scientists have stated is due in part at least to the fact that there were errors in the process.

Have heard they will release “proof” of eve’s clone status… but I am sure it will be all from insider sources rather than from some non-bias party.

seems a bit scary to me… I sure as hell would hate to see another me running around :wink:

[quote=“Sharky”]I have read that Dolly (the sheep) has had all sorts of health problems that her mother never had[/quote] Survivability of the infant is by no means assured. The idea of cloning seems somehow “icky” but to what extent is it MORALLY different to in vitro fertilisation…?

[quote=“chainsmoker”]I don’t think the shit will really hit the fan until people start genetic engineering on their progeny (clone or otherwise) and have successful results. That’s when it will REALLY suck to be poor.[/quote] Why? I don’t understand. Explain, please.

Never seen Gattaca?

Take the very best of both parent’s own DNA and combine it produce an embryo with all the best possible traits. Isolate and eliminate all defects or possibilities for deformity or sub-optimal characteristics. Instant new race of super-humans, you poor folk just procreate as usual and make sure the floors are clean and dinner is on time…

[quote=“hsiadogah”]Take the very best of both parent’s own DNA and combine it produce an embryo with all the best possible traits.[/quote] Not cloning. Cloning takes the same DNA “warts and all”… Also, misses out on the point that two poor people’s DNA mixed together (the old fashioned way) does not produce inferior offspring.

OK… just realised original post said engineering (cloning or otherwise) … but the point remains - can you genetically engineer intelligence? No evidence that you can.

Or Huxley said it best (and maybe first) in Brave New World:
"Bokanovsky

[quote=“Alien”]Or Huxley said it best (and maybe first) in Brave New World:
"Bokanovsky

Sorry for multiple posts (computer can only handle so much text). But I suspect the main uses of the technology for the forseeable future will be cosmetic (not that that doesn’t cause moral problems) and for disease prevention.

No, I don’t think so, but being born unnaturally fit, healthy and handsome would have to be headstart in life, no?

[quote=“hsiadogah”]No, I don’t think so, but being born unnaturally fit, healthy and handsome would have to be headstart in life, no?[/quote] I have to admit, I have always found that to be the case… :smiley:

Eventually, refinements in the process would bring the technology to more and more people. The profit motive would drive people to innovate, cut costs and increase sales at lower prices, thus making the technology available to all and eliminating the advantage of those who originally alone benefitted from the technology.

Only if your real smart, but then why wouldn’t you just get it on the old fashioned way with your lab partner Ms. Smendrick and have smart kids that way. It would save a lot a work. I know Ms. Smendrick is no beauty queen but then you, despite being smart, have a strange odor and big ears so you should learn to see the beauty within.

I have yet to see even a good definition of intelligence, so I would think it will quite hard to engineer it (maybe Disney could imagineer some). It’s quite possible we will find that even with genetic engineering, we have a lot of trouble improving on the process of natural selection. What seems likely to me is that we will master some arbitrary changes that take on important social significance. If, for example, we could give people plaid skin and genetic engineering was expensive, plaid skin might become a desired social trait despite the fact that it has few advantages and maybe even a few disadvantages (no more stripes for the plaid people).

We’re just beginning to explore UN-natural selection. If it ever comes to Gattaca-like enginerring, we’ll all be doomed! :shock:

I read this morning that some (ex-)ABCNews science editor was trying to arrange a third party for the DNA testing on little Eve. It’ll be interesting to see what’s what.

On a lighter note, should we have a naming contest for the next batch? It sounds like the northern European lesbians will be producing the next specimen :unamused:

Hee Hee :laughing: ! The Raelian freaks have the advantage!

THEY WERE IN TAIWAN (somewhere around Taoyuan) about three weeks ago for a two day seminar. If I’d known sooner, I really would have liked to have attended just out of morbid curiosity.