Category Archives: Cloning

Having cloned sheep and who knows what else, wouldnt it be a good idea for scientists to begin cloning the worlds endangered species? Is there any reason not to?

Cloning technology has improved dramatically since 1996 when Dolly the sheep became the first mammal to originate from a somatic cell (any cell of a living organism other than the reproductive cells). We now have a better understanding of nuclear reprogramming, a process that gives a cell the capacity to generate all the different types of cells that make up the organism called totipotency. As a result, many species have been successfully cloned, including those of amphibians, fish, insects and mammals. But cloning is still inefficient, with a maximum of 5 per cent of cloned embryos developing into healthy offspring.

There have been several attempts at cloning endangered or even extinct species, such as the gaur and the Pyrenean ibex. These have been largely unsuccessful. Generally, hundreds of embryos have to be created, of which only a handful can be implanted. And of those, only a couple are born, but these often die soon after birth.

The problem in most cases is sexual isolation, which is part of the speciation process, in which one species eventually evolves into two separate ones. These become incapable of reproducing with each other because their reproductive cells are no longer compatible or the embryo of one species cannot be carried by a mother of the other. Both issues affect cloning.

One species where cloning has been successful is the African wildcat. Although wild, this species is still genetically close enough to the domestic tabby for interspecies embryo transfer to be slightly more efficient. More importantly, cloned animals were then able to mate and reproduce among themselves.

But the main problem with cloning remains: it eliminates genetic diversity. The whole point is to reproduce an exact copy of an individual, such as a champion racehorse. Most higher organisms, however, reproduce sexually, which leads to the offspring bearing a combination of characteristics from both parents. This genetic mix and match allows species to adapt to their environment and reduces negative traits or diseases within the population. A diverse genetic pool is essential for a species to survive in the wild.

So although cloning might help preserve some species in critical times, the best way to avoid their extinction is to protect their environment and stop senseless poaching of wild animals.

Alena Pance, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK

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Cloning to the rescue - New Scientist

Some of the wild horses in Abaco.

ON April 4, the government approved a proposal to restore life to an extinct sub-breed of Spanish horses through cloning, according to a press release from the Wild Horses of Abaco Preservation Society (WHOA).

The WHOA said government approval of the proposal to initiate the cloning process and to bring the horses back to Abaco enables it and another group, Arkwild Inc -- a charity in the US -- to begin major fundraising to make the restoration a reality by restoring the horses' preserve to excellent condition prior to the arrival of the clones.

"The Abaco island horses thrived on the island of Abaco...when they were imported in the late 1800s," the press release noted. "Human intrusions and an increasingly toxic environment led to a decline. A 25-year effort to save the horses ended on July 23, 2015 when the last mare died.

"Living tissue was saved from that last mare and in a dramatic series of events --worthy of an international suspense thriller -- the tissue was airlifted to the US where ViaGen, a Texas firm engaged in cloning, found the cells viable and nurtured enough to clone two mares.

"Pro bono services valued at close to $2m have been pledged to the cloning effort by companies and individuals in the US."

The group also explained its plans for the horses' preserve.

"Along with the dramatic restoration of the herd, the horses' preserve will become a showcase for equine assisted therapy, alternative energy systems, ecotourism and many related activities consistent with UN (United Nations) sustainable development goals.

"In an environment that is unique in the world, a unique horse once again will roam the pine forests of Abaco, 200 miles out at sea.

"Genetically unique after over a hundred years of isolation on Abaco, the Abaco horses were direct descendants of the distinctive horses of the Conquistadores who led the first major forays into the 'New World.' Those June 12, 2017 horses could best be described as 'Jeeps,' being tough, steady, sturdy and needing far less water and feed than standard domestic horses," the preservation society noted.

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Cloning To Revive Abaco Wild Horses - Bahamas Tribune

Cloning Yourself in Photos or Videos Fstoppers How many times have you seen a video or photo where a subject or even the artist themselves appear in it multiple times and wondered how they did that? Having a background in graphic design, I always guessed you just merge the footage or photos ...

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Cloning Yourself in Photos or Videos - Fstoppers

Designed by Pierpaolo Lazzarini from Italian company Jet Capsule. The I.F.O. is fuelled by eight electric engines, which is able to push the flying object to an estimated top speed of about 120mph.

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A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore

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A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore

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Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea

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Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea

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The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company

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Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea

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Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi

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Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session

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A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

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A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

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A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China

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A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China

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A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China

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A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London

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A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv

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Electrification Guru Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart talks about the electric Jaguar I-PACE concept SUV before it was unveiled before the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California, U.S

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The Jaguar I-PACE Concept car is the start of a new era for Jaguar. This is a production preview of the Jaguar I-PACE, which will be revealed next year and on the road in 2018

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Japan's On-Art Corp's CEO Kazuya Kanemaru poses with his company's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03' and other robots during a demonstration in Tokyo, Japan

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Japan's On-Art Corp's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03'

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Japan's On-Art Corp's eight metre tall dinosaur-shaped mechanical suit robot 'TRX03' performs during its unveiling in Tokyo, Japan

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Singulato Motors co-founder and CEO Shen Haiyin poses in his company's concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China

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The interior of Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China

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Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0

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A picture shows Singulato Motors' concept car Tigercar P0 at a workshop in Beijing, China

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Connected company president Shigeki Tomoyama addresses a press briefing as he elaborates on Toyota's "connected strategy" in Tokyo. The Connected company is a part of seven Toyota in-house companies that was created in April 2016

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A Toyota Motors employee demonstrates a smartphone app with the company's pocket plug-in hybrid (PHV) service on the cockpit of the latest Prius hybrid vehicle during Toyota's "connected strategy" press briefing in Tokyo

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An exhibitor charges the battery cells of AnyWalker, an ultra-mobile chasis robot which is able to move in any kind of environment during Singapore International Robo Expo

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A robot with a touch-screen information apps stroll down the pavillon at the Singapore International Robo Expo

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An exhibitor demonstrates the AnyWalker, an ultra-mobile chasis robot which is able to move in any kind of environment during Singapore International Robo Expo

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Robotic fishes swim in a water glass tank displayed at the Korea pavillon during Singapore International Robo Expo

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An employee shows a Samsung Electronics' Gear S3 Classic during Korea Electronics Show 2016 in Seoul, South Korea

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Visitors experience Samsung Electronics' Gear VR during the Korea Electronics Grand Fair at an exhibition hall in Seoul, South Korea

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Amy Rimmer, Research Engineer at Jaguar Land Rover, demonstrates the car manufacturer's Advanced Highway Assist in a Range Rover, which drives the vehicle, overtakes and can detect vehicles in the blind spot, during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

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Chris Burbridge, Autonomous Driving Software Engineer for Tata Motors European Technical Centre, demonstrates the car manufacturer's GLOSA V2X functionality, which is connected to the traffic lights and shares information with the driver, during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

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Ford EEBL Emergency Electronic Brake Lights is demonstrated during the first demonstrations of the UK Autodrive Project at HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground in Nuneaton, Warwickshire

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Full-scale model of 'Kibo' on display at the Space Dome exhibition hall of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center, in Tsukuba, north-east of Tokyo, Japan

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Miniatures on display at the Space Dome exhibition hall of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Tsukuba Space Center, in Tsukuba, north-east of Tokyo, Japan. In its facilities, JAXA develop satellites and analyse their observation data, train astronauts for utilization in the Japanese Experiment Module 'Kibo' of the International Space Station (ISS) and develop launch vehicles

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The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to the music during the Japan Robot Week 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight. At this biennial event, the participating companies exhibit their latest service robotic technologies and components

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The robot developed by Seed Solutions sings and dances to music during the Japan Robot Week 2016 at Tokyo Big Sight

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Government and industry are working together on a robot-like autopilot system that could eliminate the need for a second human pilot in the cockpit

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Aurora Flight Sciences' technicians work on an Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automantion System (ALIAS) device in the firm's Centaur aircraft at Manassas Airport in Manassas, Va.

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Stefan Schwart and Udo Klingenberg preparing a self-built flight simulator to land at Hong Kong airport, from Rostock, Germany

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Hackers caught cloning activist Twitter accounts to spread fake news ... - The Independent

Australian grapes are unique. So unique they have the potential to surpass other new world wines such as popular varieties found in America.

Michael McCarthy, Primary Research Scientist for Viticulture at South Australias Research Development Institute, has been testing cloned grapes in Australias warmer wine territories. The aim of the experiment is to test how the cloned grapes will react to warmer climates particularly when temperatures in Australia are expected to rise dramatically in 50 years time (due to climate change). McCarthy explains the importance of the experiment:

Maybe the rest of the world might be more interested in some of our material. We have clones that just don't exist in the rest of the world anymore because our planting is clean. Phylloxera is not an issue, root-borne virus transmission is not an issue. We have planting material in Australia that is probably unique to the rest of the world.

McCarthy discussed the issue with vignerons operating in colder climates in Orange and central west New South Wales. The grapes cloned in one region may work just as well in other regions, saving many of Australias cooler wine regions.

[We are] understanding how wine styles within regions may change as that region warms up going into the future. What we are trying to do is identify sites across Australia that have the same clones in common. We take out the clonal difference and look at the wine style from cool to hot regions. So if this currently cool region becomes a warm region in 50 years' time how will those wine styles change?

The area in question is famous for Chardonnay which happens to be Australias number one white wine export, despite a decline of Australian consumption.

The call for Australian wine overseas, particularly our Chardonnay, is evident. As recently as last year 765 million litres of Australian wine was sent abroad valuing at $2.2 billion. According to trade minister Steve Ciobo:

Unlike other countries, Australias winemakers are not restricted by rules governing what they can plant or the types of wines they can produce. This has allowed innovation to thrive, driving Australias reputation for quality, consistency and diversity

China was revealed to be Australian winemakers best customer, with the US, UK and Canada following.

The experiment will hopefully enable winemakers to continue growing quality grapes despite the predicted rise in temperatures in the next 50 years.

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Cloning Grapes Will Save Australian Wine - National Geographic Australia

Marijuana growers have two choices when it comes to starting new plants: grow from seed, or grow from clone.

Nowadays, its easier to buy marijuana clones than ever before, especially if youre in Colorado or Washington.

And marijuana clones do offer advantages that growing cannabis from seed cant offer

Growing from clones youre sure to have allfemales, and as long as you do the cloning yourself, you know who the mother plant is and how your clones will grow, yield, and get you high.

But theres an art and science to marijuana cloning, and weve devoted several articles to it. In this one, we give you five rules for more-successful marijuana cloning:

Take your cannabis cuttings from a healthy motherplant.Cloning gives yougenetic duplicates of your marijuaan motherplant.

If your motherplants are strong, healthy, and have potent genetics, your clones are getting the best start possible.

Avoid using motherplants that are sick, or that are plagued with pests. The only exception to this is if the sickness or pests can be purged from the clones using interventions.

In general though, if the mothers are bad, the clones will be too.

Give Your Marijuana Clones a Consistent Climate.Most cannabis clones prefer temperatures slightly higher than your ideal grow room temperature, and they dont like a day and night cycle with a temperature drop at night.

Thats why most growers root their cuttings under fluorescent lighting that stays on 24 hours a day. The lighting itself creates temperature stabilization.

Temperatures between 74-77Fahrenheit are in the range you want.

If you go colder than that, the cuttings root development might stall or just never happen at all, especially if your cutting root zone is below 69 degrees F.

You can increase your marijuana cuttings root zone temperature by using a propagation heating mat.

If youre growing in true hydroponics like deep water culture or aeroponics, use an aquarium heater to warm up your water temperatures.

If your cuttings root zone goes much warmer than 79 degrees F though, you run the risk of creating an environment favorable to damping off or root rot microorganisms that can ruin your cuttings.

In that case, you get a chiller, or you control clone environment so temperatures in the root zone are in the ideal range.

Clones like high humidity: Your cuttings need a humid environment in the 75-95% humidity range until theyve created roots and are able to intake water through them.

Thats why many marijuana cloners use humidity domes. Other growers say the domes can create root rot or stem root conditions, so they prefer to mist their cannabis clones rather than putting a dome over them.

The best domes for marijuana cloning have aeration vents built in. You want to un-dome or ventilate your cuttings several times a day so they get fresh air.

Just remember, with clones its best to go for too much humidity rather than not enough. Until your clones have functioning roots, if theyre in dry air, theyll die.

Use kind hydroponics lighting. You can use high-output fluorescent, LED, or plasma lighting for optimal marijuana cloning. HID hydroponics lighting is too intense for clones.

Keep your lights on 24 hours a day, and make sure that your clones arent too close to the bulbs or LED chips. Clones can easily burn.

Use sterile equipment and materials.You already figured out that your scissors, razor blade, or other tool for cutting clones has to be clean.

But you also want to make sure you trays, cloning domes, and root zone media are clean and sterile too.

Dont re-use cloning cubes or cloning powders and gels. Start fresh every time. You can read more about cloning powders and gels in this really useful article.

When you follow these marijuana cloning tips along with the tips in the other cloning articles linked within this article, your clone success rate should be nearly 100%.

If youre taking 20 clones and seeing only 10 of them survive, somethings wrong, and you want to closely re-evaluate your cannabis cloning techniques, the equipment and environment you use for cloning,and your marijuana motherplants.

We want you to enjoy 100% marijuana cloning success!

Aeroponics, Cannabis, Cloning, featured, Fluorescent, Growing Medical Marijuana, HID, Humidity, LED, Lighting, marijuana seeds, Mother Plant, Rooting, Temperature

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Five Rules For Successful Marijuana Cloning

In prepared testimony for the Senate Intelligence Committee, James Comey will detail a series of meetings and phone conversations with President Donald Trump in 2017, as the former FBI Director says that he felt pressured by Mr. Trump to end an investigation of top Trump aide Michael Flynn, and that the President repeatedly asked the FBI to tell the public that he was not under investigation. You can read the full testimony from Comey, which was released by the Senate Intelligence Committee. Here are some of the details from the former FBI Director: 1. Comey: President Trump asked him for loyalty. At a January 27 dinner that involved only the two of them, Comey said he told Mr. Trump that as the FBI Director, he was not on anybodys side politically. Comey quotes the President as saying soon after, I need loyalty, I expect loyalty. That was followed by an awkward silence, according to Comey. 2. Comey: Trump asked him to drop Flynn investigation. The former FBI Director says that after attending a February 14 Oval Office meeting with other top officials, he was asked to stay behind by the President, who quickly made clear the topic. I want to talk about Mike Flynn, Comey quotes Mr. Trump, in talking about the investigation of Flynn, who had just resigned as the Presidents National Security Adviser. I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go, Comey quotes Mr. Trump. 3. The cloud of the Russia investigation. The next conversation recounted in Comeys testimony occurred on March 30 in a phone call, as Comey says the President referred to the Russia probe as a cloud over his presidency. During that meeting, Comey says Mr. Trump asked multiple times for the FBI to publicly say that there was no direct investigation of the President. He repeatedly told me, We need to get that fact out,' Comey recounted. 4. More concern about the Russia cloud. The last conversation between the two men was also by telephone on April 11. Comey says the President asked why there had not been any announcement that he was not under investigation, as Comey said he was told that the cloud was hampering his work as President. 5. There were other conversations not detailed. In his testimony, the former FBI Director says he can recall nine one-on-one conversations with President Trump in four months there in person and six on the phone. This testimony does not go through all of those there is no indication given as to why those were not included. BREAKING: Comey to tell Senate committee he found Trump request to end Flynn investigation 'very concerning.' AP Politics (@AP_Politics) June 7, 2017

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Skimming, cloning become popular in Tulsa - KRMG

Australia's winemakers are uniquely placed with grape types which, if cloned, could challenge established varieties in major markets such as the USA.

That is the view of Primary Research Scientist for Viticulture at South Australia's Research Development Institute Michael McCarthy.

He has been involved in the testing of cloned grapes from warm regions.

This is to gauge how they will perform in areas predicted to be warmer in 50 years' time due to climate change.

"Maybe the rest of the world might be more interested in some of our material," Dr McCarthy said.

"We have clones that just don't exist in the rest of the world anymore because our planting is clean.

"Phylloxera is not an issue, root-borne virus transmission is not an issue. We have planting material in Australia that is probably unique to the rest of the world."

Dr McCarthy was in Orange in the central west of New South Wales discussing the issue with vignerons operating in the area known for its cool climate wines.

Grapes cloned from one area of Australia may perform just as well in another region, although have different characteristics even within the new area.

"[We are] understanding how wine styles within regions may change as that region warms up going into the future," he said.

"What we are trying to do is identify sites across Australia that have the same clones in common.

"We take out the clonal difference and look at the wine style from cool to hot regions.

"So if this currently cool region becomes a warm region in 50 years' time how will those wine styles change?"

The region is known for chardonnay, which is Australia's number one white wine export, despite a decline in domestic consumption in recent years.

However this has changed with chardonnay enjoying a resurgence on the home tables.

Winemakers from the Orange region pointed out that the style of wine can change just by planting vines at different heights above sea level.

President of the Orange Vigneron Association and winemaker Justin Jarrett believed lessons had been learnt from the heady days when demand for chardonnay was exceptionally high.

"When you look at the Australian wine industry we don't want to be at the bottom of the wine ladder. You want to be up the top," he said.

"You want to deliver a product that people are prepared to pay more for."

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Preparing winemakers for climate change through cloning - ABC Online

Scientists at the University of Manchester have cast doubt over previous research that claimed the discovery of a protein from extinct dinosaur species.

Earlier research published in the journal Science claimed protein peptides had survived from a 68-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex. This discovery led to a proliferation of "Jurassic Park"-esque theories claiming that scientists could possibly clone the DNA and recreate the extinct dinosaurs, as happens in the classic 1993 Steven Spielberg film.

The team from Manchester found that the reported proteins could have also come from cross-contamination with the bones of ostriches or alligators, both of which were used in labs where the original studies took place, according to a press release on these new findings.

The researchers of this most recent study were quick to point out that they did not set out to disprove the findings of their colleagues, nor did their own findings definitively negate the possibility of dinosaur cloning. They had originally been studying collagen fingerprints, or the protein inside bones, and how long it can survive over time.

All this research is saying is that contamination cannot be ruled out, Mike Buckley, a zoo-archeologist someone who studies ancient animals at the University of Manchester and one of the chief researchers, told Travel + Leisure.

They found that collagen had not been proven to survive more than 3.5 million years and that the proteins the original paper claimed came from dinosaurs may very well have come from another animal.

For fans of the Jurassic Park movie franchise or those excited for the upcoming Jurassic World 2 premiere, the research might be disappointing, but its not all bad news. Ancient DNA is a field of study that paleontologists are still exploring, and nothing can be ruled out.

The more we understand how these ancient molecules survive, the idea is were more likely to be able to find real, ancient DNA which you could then take advantage of, Buckley said.

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Sorry, 'Jurassic Park' fans: Scientists say dinosaur cloning probably isn't going to happen - Travel+Leisure

An addictive blend of revenge drama and sci-fi thriller Orphan Black. Photograph: Netflix

Those and for some bizarre reason, they are few in number who have been watching Orphan Black for the past four seasons will be counting down the hours to the weekend. For this Sunday sees the start of the fifth, and final, series on Netflix of one of TVs true hidden gems.

This clever Canadian import an addictive blend of revenge drama and sci-fi thriller is that rare thing on TV these days: a mythology-heavy plot twister with characters so well-crafted, and lines so intelligently written, that you genuinely, deeply care about what happens to them.

The plot is reasonably straightforward. Just over 30 years ago, genetics company Neolution secretly perfected the idea of human cloning and implemented two projects, one male (Project Castor) and one female (Project Leda). The male clones were largely funnelled into the military, while most of the female clones were sent out into the world, some unaware of the truth of their creation, then monitored.

The central storyline follows one of those female clones, petty criminal Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany), who has been raised in the wild only to belatedly discover she is a clone. She struggles to find her sisters and uncover the truth about Neolution, their shadowy parent companies Dyad and Topside, and the Proletheans the religious organisation headed by a former MIT scientist turned Christian fundamentalist who is dedicated to wiping out any project survivors.

But what makes Orphan Black such a pleasure is not its plot, compelling and carefully thought out though it is, but its characterisation, and the portrayals its excellent cast proffers. Much has been made of the fact that Maslany plays all but one of the Project Leda clones. Its a fantastic feat that allows the Canadian actor to show off her range as she slips effortlessly from the British Sarah to uptight American housewife Alison or Ukrainian-raised and near-feral Helena. She inhabits each entirely, right down to their different eye rolls, ensuring that even when they talk to each other or, memorably, hang out and dance, we never think oh thats one person playing all these parts.

Maslanys performances are superlative and were rightly the subject of a campaign for Emmy recognition, which she finally won last year but it helps that she is working with an intelligent, witty script that doesnt hold back from placing womens stories at its heart. These clones are not AIs subjugated by the male gaze of their creator, but ordinary women with different backstories and separate, equally interesting lives that we respond to.

So we urge science PHD student Cosima to find a cure for the autoimmune disease attacking the clones. We root for Sarah in her quest for the truth. We laugh at and with the ditzy Krystal, who stubbornly refuses to believe shes a clone (because really shes a seven at most on a good day, and Ive been told Im a 10). We even feel sympathy for ice-cold Rachel, raised by Project Leda scientists Ethan and Susan Duncan and convinced she is the heir to Neolution, the one clone who could rule them all.

Nor is it just the clones that engage us. As Sarahs adopted brother Felix, Jordan Gavaris does his best to steal the show, while Maria Doyle Kennedy brings a wonderful hint of steel to Mrs S, Sarah and Felixs foster mother. And Rosemary Dunsmore is gloriously creepy as Susan Duncan, a woman for whom maternal warmth seems little more than a front.

This is a show preoccupied with motherhood, the role of women in society and the age-old debate of nurture v nature. The clones may all look alike but their personalities are determined by how they were raised as much as by their shared progenitor and the shows creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson unpick these themes with subtlety and care.

A striking intelligence runs through Orphan Black. Each series takes its episode titles from a different influential work. Series one drew on Charles Darwins Origins of the Species and series two, the writings of Francis Bacon, arguably the father of scientific method. Series three quoted the farewell address of Dwight Eisenhower, a speech best known for coining the term military-industrial complex. And series four delved into the works of Californian feminist and scientist Donna Haraway, author of A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology and Socialist-Feminism in the late 20th Century. The final series will apparently reference Ella Wheeler Wilcoxs celebrated 1914 protest poem 1695 a furious rallying cry against standing silently by.

Beyond the episode titles, though, the show takes in everything from Greek mythology and Margaret Thatchers government to HG Wells creation classic The Island of Doctor Moreau, which serves as both the shows biggest influence and its best MacGuffin. Nods to further facets of the science v religion panoply are littered throughout: Felixs surname is Dawkins, Sarah first learns about the existence of clones at Huxley station, and George Bernard Shaws Pygmalion, with its tale of woman refashioned by man, is a recurring allusion.

This willingness to engage with intriguing dense, even themes while never letting the plot drag is what makes Orphan Black such fun to watch. In contrast to other mythology-heavy shows, it rarely puts a foot wrong. Will this final series bring resolution? With a story this convoluted theres always the chance that the ball will be dropped. But series fours excellently paced finale, which left a number of characters in peril while hinting that central mysteries are beginning to unravel fast, is reason enough to anticipate a conclusion worthy of all thats come before. Orphan Black is truly one of the most singular, smart and well-told pieces of television in recent years.

Orphan Black returns to Netflix on Sunday in the UK (series 1-4 are available to watch now) and on BBC America in the US and Space in Canada.

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Send in the clones: Orphan Black, TV's smartest show, is back - The Guardian