From the Daily Mail recently:
"Professor George Church of Harvard Medical School believes he can reconstruct Neanderthal DNA and resurrect the species which became extinct 33,000 years ago.
His scheme is reminiscent of Jurassic Park but, while in the film dinosaurs were created in a laboratory, Professor Church’s ambitious plan requires a human volunteer.
He said his analysis of Neanderthal genetic code using samples from bones is complete enough to reconstruct their DNA.
He said: ‘Now I need an adventurous female human. ‘It depends on a hell of a lot of things, but I think it can be done.’"
The list of almost unresolvable questions I can come up with upon reading this could stretch on for pages, but there are a few big ones. Would the Professor 'own' the offspring? Would the intrepid mother? Would they both be listed on the birth certificate? As a homo sapiens neanderthalensis, would there even be a birth certificate? Would the child go to school, or be subjected to tests and observation? Who would run the inevitable reality show? Would the child be the subject of wonder, or of ridicule and scorn? Is this legal? Is it moral?
I am sure readers can come up with a lot more, but it strikes me that this might be one of those cases where, just because mankind can physically do something, doesn't mean it should.
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