Due date for human clone

The week's news at a glance.

Rome

The first human being created by cloning is due to be born in January, Italian fertility doctor Severino Antinori announced this week. The controversial doctor said that an unidentified woman had been carrying a cloned embryo for 33 weeks and that the fetus was “absolutely healthy.” Many scientists doubted Antinori’s initial announcement last May, when he said three women had been impregnated with clones—but a birth in January could prove them wrong. It would also appall almost everyone. Some scientists favor the cloning of human embryos for medical research, but ethicists, scientists, and governments agree that creating living humans from one person’s genes would cross a dangerous ethical boundary. Antinori, though, has made a career of ignoring boundaries. He became famous by implanting embryos in post-menopausal women over 50.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us