> Behalf Of Alberto Monteiro > > > OTOH, there are some unexpected technologies that suddenly hit > our society, and now we can't live without them. Cell Phones, > for example, turned from "things that time-travellers use" to > "kids toys" in less than 15 years. >
Very true. I just think that, like cloning, it is going to turn out more difficult than it first seems. Gestation is a pretty involved and complex task with all sorts of enzyme reactions going on. As it is, the latest studies show that clones DO live shorter lives. See http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991903 for some details. That is, it really seems that they are "born old" from the mature cells they are cloned from. This may be due to the telomeres problem, where they have been reduced through the natural replacement of cells in the body during growth. However, it may well be something else. In the New Scientist report it looks like immune system deficiencies that have some part in the premature deaths. Dolly the sheep is showing early arthritis, which can also be an immune response. Looks like those colony starships, with the colonists created near arrival and popped out of artificial wombs are just that bit too far away. :-( Brett
