Free Republic

US scientists have, for the first time, made early-stage human embryos by manipulating DNA taken from people's skin cells and then fertilising it with sperm.The technique could overcome infertility due to old age or disease, by using almost any cell in the body as the starting point for life.It could even allow same-sex couples to have a genetically related child.The method requires significant refinement - which could take a decade - before a fertility clinic could even consider using it.Experts said it was an impressive breakthrough, but there needed to be an open discussion with the public about what science...

Almost every day a scientific or medical development seems to bring new promise and controversy to mankind; none more so, perhaps, than in the field of human fertility.A quarter of a century ago the first test-tube baby, Louise Brown, was born. Now scientists have raised another startling prospect - "unborn mothers".The notion that children can derive from human matter that has not itself been born sounds the stuff of science fiction. Yet it has moved a step closer with research showing that it is possible to extract ovarian tissue from aborted foetuses for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment.Scientists announced yesterday that...