Cloning is the process of creating a copy of a biological entity. In genetics, it refers to the process of making an identical copy of the DNA of an organism. Are you interested in understanding the pros and cons of cloning?
Advertisement
When Dolly, the first cloned sheep came in the news, cloning interested the masses. Not only researchers but even common people became interested in knowing about how cloning is done and what pros and cons it has. Everyone became more curious about how cloning could benefit the common man. Most of us want to know the pros and cons of cloning, its advantages and its potential risks to mankind. Let us understand them.
Cloning finds applications in genetic fingerprinting, amplification of DNA and alteration of the genetic makeup of organisms. It can be used to bring about desired changes in the genetic makeup of individuals thereby introducing positive traits in them, as also for the elimination of negative traits. Cloning can also be applied to plants to remove or alter defective genes, thereby making them resistant to diseases. Cloning may find applications in the development of human organs, thus making human life safer. Here we look at some of the potential advantages of cloning.
Organ Replacement
If vital organs of the human body can be cloned, they can serve as backups. Cloning body parts can serve as a lifesaver. When a body organ such as a kidney or heart fails to function, it may be possible to replace it with the cloned body organ.
Substitute for Natural Reproduction
Cloning in human beings can prove to be a solution to infertility. It can serve as an option for producing children. With cloning, it would be possible to produce certain desired traits in human beings. We might be able to produce children with certain qualities. Wouldn't that be close to creating a man-made being?!
Help in Genetic Research
Cloning technologies can prove helpful to researchers in genetics. They might be able to understand the composition of genes and the effects of genetic constituents on human traits, in a better manner. They will be able to alter genetic constituents in cloned human beings, thus simplifying their analysis of genes. Cloning may also help us combat a wide range of genetic diseases.
Obtain Specific Traits in Organisms
Cloning can make it possible for us to obtain customized organisms and harness them for the benefit of society. It can serve as the best means to replicate animals that can be used for research purposes. It can enable the genetic alteration of plants and animals. If positive changes can be brought about in living beings with the help of cloning, it will indeed be a boon to mankind.
Like every coin has two sides, cloning has its flip side too. Though cloning may work wonders in genetics, it has some potential disadvantages. Cloning, as you know, is copying or replicating biological traits in organisms. Thus it might reduce the diversity in nature. Imagine multiple living entities like one another! Another con of cloning is that it is not clear whether we will be able to bring all the potential uses of cloning into reality. Plus, there's a big question of whether the common man will afford harnessing cloning technologies to his benefit. Here we look at the potential disadvantages of cloning.
Detrimental to Genetic Diversity
Cloning creates identical genes. It is a process of replicating a genetic constitution, thus hampering the diversity in genes. In lessening genetic diversity, we weaken our ability of adaptation. Cloning is also detrimental to the beauty that lies in diversity.
Invitation to Malpractices
While cloning allows man to tamper with genes in human beings, it also makes deliberate reproduction of undesirable traits, a possibility. Cloning of body organs may invite malpractices in society.
Will it Reach the Common Man?
In cloning human organs and using them for transplant, or in cloning human beings themselves, technical and economic barriers will have to be considered. Will cloned organs be cost-effective? Will cloning techniques really reach the common man?
Man, a Man-made Being?
Moreover, cloning will put human and animal rights at stake. Will cloning fit into our ethical and moral principles? It will make man just another man-made being. Won't it devalue mankind? Won't it demean the value of human life?
Cloning is equal to emulating God. Is that easy? Is it risk-free? Many are afraid it is not.
Manali Oak
Last Updated: August 8, 2016
Don't Miss
The Legal and Ethical Issues of Cloning That Make it Controversial
Human Cloning Facts
Human Cloning Benefits
Human Cloning: The Pros and Cons Highlight Its Risk
Is Cloning Good or Bad?
More From Buzzle
Cloning: The Intriguing Recent History of Human Cloning
Raising Awareness About the Risks of Cloning
See the article here:
Pros and Cons of Cloning - Buzzle
- What is Cloning? - Learn Genetics [Last Updated On: December 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 12th, 2016]
- Cloning/Embryonic Stem Cells - National Human Genome Research ... [Last Updated On: December 22nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 22nd, 2016]
- Is human cloning wrong? | Debate.org [Last Updated On: December 25th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 25th, 2016]
- Cloning - Science Daily [Last Updated On: December 29th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 29th, 2016]
- Cloning - The New York Times [Last Updated On: January 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 4th, 2017]
- Mammoth - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: January 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 24th, 2017]
- Molecular Cloning: Basics and Applications | Protocol [Last Updated On: January 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 25th, 2017]
- Beware Of 'Facebook Cloning' | 9news.com - 9NEWS.com [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Facebook scam lets hackers clone your account and STEAL money ... - Express.co.uk [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Beware of 'Facebook Cloning' | KGW.com - kgw.com [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Beware of Facebook 'cloning' scam - USA TODAY [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Facebook cloning debunked - The i newspaper online iNews - iNews [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Don't fall for this Facebook cloning scam | WFLA.com - WFLA [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- 20 years after Dolly the sheep, human cloning is no closer - Genetic Literacy Project [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Don't fall for this Facebook cloning scam | WDTN - WDTN [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- This Crab Clones Its Allies by Ripping Them in Half - The Atlantic [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Boffins create quantum cloning machine to intercept 'secure' messages - The INQUIRER [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Hair Cloning & Multiplication | Bernstein Medical [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Crustacean Cloning - ScienceBlog.com (blog) [Last Updated On: February 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 8th, 2017]
- Watch out for this crazy Facebook cloning scam! - Komando [Last Updated On: February 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 8th, 2017]
- Steve Bannon's Unproduced Movie About Cloning, Nazis, and Walt Disney Sounds Nuts - Gizmodo India [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Quantum Cloning Machine Reveals Clues That Could Protect Against Hacking - Photonics.com [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Steve Bannon wanted to make a movie about cloning, abortion, and Nazis with Mel Gibson - A.V. Club (blog) [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Police investigating recent reports of credit card cloning in Aiken ... - Aiken Standard [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Steve Bannon's Unproduced Movie About Cloning, Nazis, and Walt ... - Gizmodo [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Phone cloning - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Gang arrested for cloning debit cards, stealing money - The Hindu - The Hindu [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Drive cloning in Windows 10 with free tools - Computerworld [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Cloning - The Hastings Center [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Scientists Are Close to Cloning a Woolly Mammoth - Popular Mechanics [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2017]
- Antiquities Minister inaugurates first Pharaonic cloning center in Luxor - Egypt Independent [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- 20 years after Dolly: Everything you always wanted to know about ... - Source [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- 20 years after Dolly: Everything you always wanted to know about the cloned sheep and what came next - New Delhi Times [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- 20 years after Dolly: Everything you always wanted to know about ... - The Conversation US [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- Must reads: Populism, sexism, cloning, and rudeness - GlobalComment.com [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- More lessons from Dolly the sheepis a clone really born at age ... - Phys.Org [Last Updated On: February 20th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 20th, 2017]
- 15 Animals That Have Been Successfully Cloned by Scientists - Interesting Engineering [Last Updated On: February 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 21st, 2017]
- Facebook does it again. WhatsApp launches revamped Status, cloning Snapchat - Catch News [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- It's Been 20 Years Since We Cloned A Sheep. Why Haven't We Done The Same With Humans? - GOOD Magazine [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Reviving woolly mammoths will take more than two years - BBC News [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- 20 years after Dolly the sheep's debut, Americans remain skeptical of cloning - Pew Research Center [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Another cloning success shows technology being used by everyday graziers - ABC Online [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- 20 Years After Dolly, Where Are We With Cloning? - Inverse [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Pabrai And The Shameless Cloning Portfolio - Seeking Alpha [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- As Clone Conspiracy Ends, the Fates of Two Major Spider-Man Villains Are Revealed - Gizmodo [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- 20 years after Dolly the sheep, potential of cloning remains unclear - CNN [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- More lessons from Dolly the sheep: Is a clone really born at age zero ... - Salon [Last Updated On: February 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 27th, 2017]
- 20th Anniversary of Dolly the Cloned Sheep | Men's Health - Men's Health [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- The Angels had two No. 97s on the basepaths, may be cloning their players - MLB.com [Last Updated On: March 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 1st, 2017]
- 20 Years After Dolly: Cloning Past, Present and Future - KQED [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Facts About Cloning - Live Science [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Is Max cloning Tracey the barmaid to take over Walford in ... - Metro - Metro [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- We know Dolly the sheep was cloned 20 years ago, but how old was she at birth? - Washington Post [Last Updated On: March 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 3rd, 2017]
- 'Miracle of nature' Scientists a step closer to HUMAN CLONING after creating mouse embryos - Express.co.uk [Last Updated On: March 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 3rd, 2017]
- Waxhaw police: Man charged with credit card cloning - WSOC Charlotte [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Facebook gives zero fucks about cloning Snapchat, adds geostickers in Instagram - TNW [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2017]
- This man is cloning old-growth redwoods and planting them in safe places (video) - Treehugger [Last Updated On: March 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 9th, 2017]
- Police warn of criminals cloning credit cards using stolen information - ABC Action News [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- Hard drive imaging vs. cloning: What's the difference? - Windows Central [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- Cloning Your VS 2017 Packages - Microsoft - Channel 9 (blog) [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2017]
- Hair Cloning is Happening - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2017]
- Woodbury Police Need Your Help In Credit Card Cloning Case - Patch - Patch.com [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2017]
- Reasons Against Cloning - VIDEOS & ARTICLES [Last Updated On: April 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 8th, 2017]
- B.o.B Talks Conspiracy Theories About 9/11, Snapchat, Cloning, Chemtrails, The Illuminati & More (VIDEO) - AllHipHop (blog) [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- International grifter gets 5 years in prison for Denver credit card cloning scam - The Denver Post [Last Updated On: June 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 6th, 2017]
- Send in the clones: Orphan Black, TV's smartest show, is back - The Guardian [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- Sorry, 'Jurassic Park' fans: Scientists say dinosaur cloning probably isn't going to happen - Travel+Leisure [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- Preparing winemakers for climate change through cloning - ABC Online [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- Skimming, cloning become popular in Tulsa - KRMG [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- Five Rules For Successful Marijuana Cloning [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2017]
- Cloning Grapes Will Save Australian Wine - National Geographic Australia [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2017]
- Hackers caught cloning activist Twitter accounts to spread fake news - The Independent [Last Updated On: June 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 9th, 2017]
- Cloning Yourself in Photos or Videos - Fstoppers [Last Updated On: June 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 11th, 2017]
- Cloning to the rescue - New Scientist [Last Updated On: June 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 14th, 2017]
- Cloning To Revive Abaco Wild Horses - Bahamas Tribune [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2017]
- How Close Are We to Successfully Cloning the First Human? - Futurism [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2017]
- Magnified: Cloning - The Hawk Eye (blog) [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2017]
- Puppies cloned from ears arrive in Russia for genetic research ... - RT [Last Updated On: June 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 24th, 2017]
- Three waiters arrested in Mumbai for fraud and cloning ATM cards ... - Hindustan Times [Last Updated On: June 26th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 26th, 2017]
- This powerful new tool for cloning genes could speed up drug discovery - Boston Business Journal [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2017]