Telomeres, Aging, Cloning, Ethics

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Bioethics.net talks about the ethics of cloning based on current scientific understanding regarding telomeres and aging. Telomeres are introduced well in the article - they function as protective caps for our chromosomes, getting shorter with each cell division - but the science is more complex and uncertain than the explanation given by the author. Those of you interested in ethics may find the latter half of the article interesting, but the final conclusion is simple common sense - much more research is needed, and no human reproductive cloning should take place until we understand more of the underlying mechanisms. (Therapeutic cloning, on the other hand, is just fine).

Link: http://www.bioethics.net/journal/infocus.php?vol=4&issue=2&articleID=156