Animal-Human Hybrids Spark Controversy

National Geographic ^ | January 25, 2005 | Maryann Mott

[Jay777]

Scientists have begun blurring the line between human and animal by producing chimeras—a hybrid creature that's part human, part animal.

Chinese scientists at the Shanghai Second Medical University in 2003 successfully fused human cells with rabbit eggs. The embryos were reportedly the first human-animal chimeras successfully created. They were allowed to develop for several days in a laboratory dish before the scientists destroyed the embryos to harvest their stem cells.

In Minnesota last year researchers at the Mayo Clinic created pigs with human blood flowing through their bodies.

And at Stanford University in California an experiment might be done later this year to create mice with human brains.

Scientists feel that, the more humanlike the animal, the better research model it makes for testing drugs or possibly growing "spare parts," such as livers, to transplant into humans....

[Echo Talon]

Try to buy a suit off the rack.

Suit? Hell, if I had wings I'd go naked. ;)

[Jay777]

Underwater Revolution

[Jay777]

Thundercats Ho!!

[SilentServiceCPOWife]

Oh, there's news out there, but I'm taking a brief sabbatical from it for the sake of my mental health.

[azhenfud]

OInK

[ColoCdn]

I would like to personally thank the scientific community for having the super-sized egos necessary to pursue something as dangerous as this without even beginning to consider any of the potential ethical issues (why should this case be any different to all the other scientific irresponsibility observed over the years?).

[bra]

I work with a couple of humans that have the brains of apes. :-)

[Ellesu]

Island of Dr. Moreau?

[MeekOneGOP]

haha!

[MEGoody]

"The embryos were reportedly the first human-animal chimeras successfully created. They were allowed to develop for several days in a laboratory dish before the scientists destroyed the embryos to harvest their stem cells."

Evil.

[MEGoody]

"The embryos were reportedly the first human-animal chimeras successfully created. They were allowed to develop for several days in a laboratory dish before the scientists destroyed the embryos to harvest their stem cells."

Evil.

[MEGoody]

"Breeding animals with custom human parts for use in transplant surgery is OK. Letting the animals breed or exist outside the lab is monsterous."

Personally, I would refuse any 'organ' or stem cells from a chimera. I would feel as though I were encouraging evil behavior, and would rather die.

If chimera were able to and allowed to mature, at some point, one would make it out of the lab, either through human greed or on its own.

[Always Independent]

Wonderful! Now when scared little Jimmy asks his mommy, she replies; thats' right Jimmy, there are monsters under the bed!

[PatrickHenry]

Gentlemen, I doubt that this is for the evolution ping list. If you think otherwise, I'll yield.

[zoobee]

I want to be half cat!!

[zoobee]

LOL!

[zoobee]

LOL!

[Windsong]

How, exactly?

[Jay777]

I don't think it is for the evolution ping list. I was just asking you what you thought about it. Would it still be evolution if it was manipulated, not by chance, but by man?