# Stem Cells + Cloning = ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stem-cells-cloning/40778>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 11, 2000, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stem-cells-cloning/40778 "2000-11-11T07:58:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2000, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stem-cells-cloning/40778/1 "2000-11-11T07:58:53Z")

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Biological science appears to be converging to a point where two very… interesting things may complement each other.

Stem cells might be able to be used to repair old and damaged tissue. From what I understand (which is about as deep as reading the picture captions in Discover), they may be able to regenerate entire organs someday. But they’re mighty hard to come by in a human adult. Ideally, you would want new, identically matched genetic material from which to create your replacement cells.

And then there’s the prospect of… human cloning.

[strangelove]

It would appear to me that the possibility of cloning–and partially gestating–a human fetus is well within the boundaries of current science. A series of cloned embryos from a single human subject, in various stages of development [grabs crotch], might be sytematically developed and _preserved_ [bites hand] for the purpose of harvesting the stem cells needed to reinvigorate those organs which regrettably eventually fail the human body. [twists embarrasedly away from audience, bites gloved hand] Ze possibilities are endless, really, from the regeneration of damaged organs to the preservation of an individual’s life forever… Mein Fuhrer, I can walk!

[/strangelove]

First, would anyone like to clue me in to the post-Popular Science fallacies of this idea?

Second… well, there’s that moral thing. Maybe we oughta start here.