Human-Animal Hybrids

October 19, 2007

Back in 2006, you probably were as startled as we were when President George W. Bush, during his State of the Union address, implored Congress to bar scientists from “creating human-animal hybrids.” Not accustomed to having our commander in chief veer off on a tangent that sounded suspiciously reminiscent of a plot line from The X-Files, Americans reacted with a mix of puzzlement and derision. Within a day, Technorati.com listed “human-animal hybrid” as the second-most popular search on the Internet, and a Web-based vendor was offering T-shirts emblazoned with a man-monkey so that wearers could  “help President Bush raise awareness about these terrible half man / half beasts.”

As it turns out, Bush wasn’t actually envisioning a nightmarish race of what sci-fi writers refer to as parahumans. Instead, he was up in arms about the possibility of scientists combining human genetic material with animal eggs to produce hybrid embryos, which then could be harvested for stem cells — a possible way of getting around political and religious conservatives’ opposition to the harvesting of stem cells from leftover human embryos from fertility clinics. (Back in 2001, Bush essentially barred the federal government from funding such research, unless scientists relied upon a limited number of existing stem cell lines.)

The controversy has been revived by the recent decision of the U.K.’s Embryology Authority to propose that British scientists be permitted to create hybrid embryos as a source of stem cells, which may possibly provide eventual treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other conditions. Opponents of such research, in a peculiar twist, are winding their way back to what we thought our president was talking about. As the Times of London reported in June, they’re arguing that if scientists are allowed to create human-animal hybrid embryos, in the interests of preserving life, the embryos should then be implanted in women and carried to term, rather than being destroyed. The conceivable result: a generation of infants that are mostly human but also part animal.

So what do you think? Should scientists be permitted to create human-animal embryos, but only for research purposes? Or should they be allowed to go even further, and create manimals? Post your comments below.

Comments

[DISHA]

well !!!it may be a gud idea but nevethless till now whatever has happened in this world of scienc had started initially in the name og the betterment of this world.
so who knows the thoughts depicted above about the scientists interests in preserving the life may prove to be true?

[Nicholas Panicola]

I think it would be a good idea because we are moving forward in technology we shouldn't be able to hide everything. Its probably going to happen sometime in the future so why not now.

[Nicholas Panicola]

I think it would be a good idea because we are moving forward in technology we shouldn't be able to hide everything. Its probably going to happen sometime in the future so why not now.

[Nicholas Panicola]

I think it would be a good idea because we are moving forward in technology we shouldn't be able to hide everything. Its probably going to happen sometime in the future so why not now.

[Garrison A Maultsby]

This is impossable. I have PROOF!!! Email me at gam123@bellsouth.net

[rumon miah]

not possible even if it was its a dumb idea, risking the REGULAR baby in the MOTHERS womb to become a DUMB ANIMAL/HUMAN. how would u like it if your child became a human/animal?!?!?!?...........exactly...............

[Gladys Perez]

Technology has come a long way, but not without a price, whether monetary or physical. Scientist have always said that what they do is in the best interest of humanity,but has it? DNA research continues, DNA splicing continues. Genetic interaction between humans and animal for stem research, or is it just for curiousity. Let's not forget that sometings MUST be let alone. We will distroy ourselves at the end of the day. GOD HELP US.

[pete wentz]

im gonna make u bend and break say a prayer and let the good times roll in case god doesnt show. and i want these words to make things right but its the wrongs that makes the words come 2 life. who does he think he is? if thats the worst u got put ur fingers back 2 the keys, one night and 1 more time, thanks for the memories even though they werent so great he taste like u only sweeter!..one night yea and 1 more time, thxs for the mmrs, thxs fr th mmrs, see he taste like u only sweeter....... been looking forward 2 the future. but my eyesight is going bad, and these crystal ball, is always cloudy except for, when u look into the past, one night stand, one night stand off. 1 night and 1 more time, thxs fr th mmrs, thxs fr th mmrs even though they werent so great see he taste like u only sweeter!1 night yea and 1 more time thnks fr th mmrs thxs fr th mmrs see he taste like u only sweeter!.....they say i only think in the form of crunching numbers, in hotel rooms collecting page 6lovers, get me out of my mind, get u out of those clothes, im a liner away, from gettin u into the mooooooooooooooooooood, wooooooooah! 1 night and 1 more time thxs fr mmrs even though they werent so great he taste like u only sweeter! 1 night yea and 1 more time thxs fr th mmrs thxs fr th mmrs see he taste like u only sweeter!1 more night, 1 more time thxs fr th mmrs even though they werent so great see he taste like u only sweeter! 1 night yea and 1 more time thnks fr th mmrs thnks fr th mmrs see he taste like u only sweeter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[pete wentz]

ps that was "thanks for the memories" by fall out boy

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[Wendy]

I dont think that this is a very good idea. God put us on this earth not to eventually become all the same thing. we are separate from animals for a reason.
I also think that the baby manimal would not end up to beable to live its life to its potential. It would be kept in labs for its whole life and not beable to see what the world has to offer before its possably short life ends!

[Wendy]

I dont think that this is a very good idea. God put us on this earth not to eventually become all the same thing. we are separate from animals for a reason.
I also think that the baby manimal would not end up to beable to live its life to its potential. It would be kept in labs for its whole life and not beable to see what the world has to offer before its possably short life ends!

[Josh]

Well, if they have the materiels to do it, why dont they? Its not like there hurting anyone by doing it! They should be able to do it PLUS go further with the expierment.

[Josh]

Well, if they have the materiels to do it, why dont they? Its not like there hurting anyone by doing it! They should be able to do it PLUS go further with the expierment.

[Patrick]

"I am not an ANIMAL!"

[Mithyl]

Hi,My name is Mithyl and I'm from Brazil...I just Think that leading to embryos is something complex,leading to human embryos is much more!
It is not a choose of a scientist to make it or not...life shouldn't be treated as a toy...this possibility of create manimals or even use mixed stem cells does not sounds good!

[Aspen]

hey yall this subject is very true in many ways and it has many resource full things in mind thank you

Aspen

[Dennis]

to tamper with the mixing of human and animal genetics is to open a pandoras Box. it would be limitless on both sides of the ladder, that is scary all by itself

[DC Daisy]

Ummm, I don't think the scientists have any intention of creating manimals...that's the alarmist suggestion of stem cell research's opponents. Frankly, I'm surprised the Science Channel blog would even suggest this research is about creating a generation of pig-kids.
It's about finding a viable way to create multi-cell organisms for research purposes...research that might lead to healthier lives for people suffering from Parkinson's and MS.
Heck, if Science Channel viewers can't have an informed, reasoned debate on the subject, what are the odds that the folks watching Rock of Love will ever be able to cut through the truth-rumor hybrids.

[wolf]

i think this is a bad idea....let animals be animals and let humans be humans..the way it is...let the evolution be beautiful and natural as it is rather than a disastarous science project. science is said to be a way to preserve and improve the life on earth but creating manimals is nothing like that!

[Insane minds going mad]

This is madness!!! What 'll be mankind after opening this paradox box. We already have lots of racism going on and what is expected after creating human-animal hybrid.How can anyone accept to share brotherhood with an inhuman species.LETS ASSUME THEY ARE CREATED SOMEHOW,WILL WE TREAT THEM AS HUMAN OR ANIMAL??????????

[Insane minds going mad]

This is madness!!! What 'll be mankind after opening this paradox box. We already have lots of racism going on and what is expected after creating human-animal hybrid.How can anyone accept to share brotherhood with an inhuman species.LETS ASSUME THEY ARE CREATED SOMEHOW,WILL WE TREAT THEM AS HUMAN OR ANIMAL??????????

[bombie]

Star wars?????? absolutely!!!

[bombie]

Star wars?????? absolutely!!!

[Annoyed yet informed masters student]

Oh man, reading all comments alone irritates me. Do you people really think mad scientists all over the world will start creating man-bear-pigs to take over the world with their mutant armies? Researchers try to find ways to create human stem cells which could potentially be used to cure many terrible diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinson's. Since they are currently limited in their options they try to find ways which don't get as much opposition. One of the ways in which they try this is by creating animal embryos in which they replace the animal dna by human dna. Such cells could never grow into a living creature, but they can be used in research.

Creating manimals however is pure folly, these creatures would probably die while still a small cluster of cells.
However putting a few human genes into animal cells is something completely different. For example, insuline (which is essential for diabetics) is made by bacteria with some human genes as can be read here:
http://www.iptv.org/exploremore/ge/what/insulin.cfm

I am, by the way, a huge opponent of Bush's ban on stem cell research as it currently stands. While I agree that this research should be regulated, the current ban is way too limiting in my opinion.