TED Conversations

Sid Tafler

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

Should scientists clone a Neanderthal?

A U.S. scientists says we are now capable of cloning a Neanderthal baby by introducing Neanderthal genome material into a human stem cell and implanting it into a surrogate mother. The theory is, cloning a Neanderthal would increase human diversity and show us new ways of thinking or even curing disease.
But what of the moral and legal issues?
Our species (Homo sapiens) and Homo Neanderthalensis both walked the earth 30,000-40,000 years ago in Europe and Asia. Should we try to reach back to those prehistoric times to recreate an ancient reflection of humanity or leave the study of Neanderthal to archaeologists examining bones and stones?

+1
Share:

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

  • george lockwood 30+

    • 0
    Feb 9 2013: Sid Do you have that little bump in the back of your head? This first appeared with the Neanderthals and their larger brains than modern man. Modern 1350cc Neaderthal 1450 cc Cro Magnon 1600cc There were other early men with larger brains. Maybe before modern man a big brain helped in survival. Why not? but they were never completely lost. Once someone says something really dumb - it never goes away Neanderthal's backwardness was bassed on specimen's that may fail to show very much.

Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.