Since the creation of that now celebrated sheep Dolly in Scotland back in 1996, there has been a deluge of talk (and significant scholarly work) about the possibility of creating scientifically engineered humans. This recent documentary from the people at the Independent Lens organization takes a close look at the current research being done in the field of reproductive technology. On the...

A pre-publication version of a human cloning report to be published by the National Academy Press (NAP), Scientific and Medical Aspects of Human Reproductive Cloning concludes that human reproductive cloning, as it could be currently practiced, should be banned. The report's panel is jointly composed of the National Academies Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (COSEPUP) and the...

This is an article appearing in Scientific American details what Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) claims is the first human cloned embryo. This online version describes the research that ACT calls the "dawn of a new age in medicine" and includes links to further information, covering ethical and legal considerations surrounding cloning and the difference between reproductive and therapeutic cloning.

Late last year, the President's Council on Bioethics was "created to advise the President on bioethical issues related to advances in biomedical science and technology." The council's Web site allows the public to access information regarding the activities of this council. The site provides transcripts of council sessions organized by date and by topic; a full report regarding human cloning dated...

In a recent press briefing, stem cell research pioneers James Thomson and John Gearhart announced that, despite political obstacles and limited funding, stem cell research is progressing and clinical trials on human beings should begin within the next five years. The Why Files chronicles the first five years of embryonic stem cell research, covering the science, the politics, and the ethical...

The potential for human cloning seems to hold various intriguing possibilities to some parties, while many others remain wholly appalled by the very idea of this process. Despite this substantial difference of opinion, the United Nations General Assembly passed a nonbinding statement on cloning this past Tuesday that urges governments to ban all human cloning, including the cloning of human...