Should this sick professor be sacked?

Why would you think that? No, not a joke, just a publicity stunt.

Cheelu

Like you I thought it must be April Fools Day.

I am not very often shocked at something but I must admit I do find this very weird. It verges on the absurd to me but I have to say I would be fascinated to see what happened.

Sounds like an idea for a screenplay, doesn't it? What's the betting that someone will take it up - or has it been done already?

Nelliemoser; it starred Charles Dance and it was heartbreaking. I can't recall what it was called. It's the sort of idea that I referred to on another thread. Mustn't have ideas like this putting people off the idea of stem cell research or [as I believe you have to do] donate stem cells.

First Born it was called.

The child was called Gor.

If, ( and it's an incredibly BIG "if") this was ever allowed to happen my only thought would be for the poor "creature" that was created just to satisfy the morbid curiosity of a "Nutty Professor" .

The other question that goes through my mind is why?

tegan Well remembered! I knew the child was Gor but could not get the name of the Drama.

I googled it Nellie . What was even sadder was that the beautiful baby that was in it died after it had been filmed. Hard to believe that something that seemed so far fetched at the time is now possible. A series that enthralled and horrified me.

Cloning humans is illegal in many countries, including the UK, and there has been a variable degree of success in cloning other mammals so I don't think this is one for us to hold our collective breath for.

tegan, it isn't possible for separate species to breed. The human/gorilla story was fiction and still is. This prof is not suggesting breeding between separate species. Firstly, Neanderthals and Sapiens are not completely separate species. Secondly, the article seems to be suggesting that Neanderthal DNA be put into a human embryo. Completely different from inter-species copulation.

The definition of species is that interbreding is not possible between different species. If breeding is possible between two apparently different species to produce viable offspring (i.e. capable of reproducing if it lives to adulthood), then, by definition, they are not separate species.

you are right bags homo sapiens and neanderthals subspecies and could probably breed. Probably did but there is still debate.

This is from the dreaded Mail though - so I do wonder if it's true

Hybridisation is the crossing of two species. It is not common and the result is usually sterile. A good example of this is the mule, using a mare and a jack donkey.

I am sure that it is mostly media hype!

And a hinny is the other way round from a mule – but still sterile.

Completely off the point, before redecorating the hall, stairs and landings in the house I lived in when absentdaughter was of primary school age, I let her and her friends draw, write, paint and put handprints over the old lining paper. One piece of absentdaughter's graffiti was "Mules are sterile".

dorsetpennt The same story was in the Torygraph. I didn't see it in the Grauniad, but might have missed it.

I've seen it in the Guardian on line this morning. I would be willing to bet that he has already had a number of silly women volunteering for the experiment!

It is sick. And ridiculous. He shouldn't sacked. The human race should be relieved of him.

j07 It's a publicity seeking prof who is 'flying a kite' and probably now enjoying the furore he's excited. This week's sensation, next week's chip paper - if anyone still uses it.

He's just pushing the boundaries. Given how ignorant Americans are about science in general, I can imagine him doing it just for the entertainment value. Looks like a successful publicity stunt to me.

It's not going to happen. Stop worrying and enjoy the ridiculousness.

Actually I think he is just making the point that he could do it. And stating his belief that it could be beneficial to the human race. He could be right in that. He hasn't actually said that he would do it.

It's just scientific talk amongst peers. And the newspapers have got hold of it.

Didn't Ozzy Osborne have genome sequencing? It showed that he was part Neanderthal!

Of course it shouldn't happen, but I have to confess I would like to see a real live Neanderthal, and a woolly mammoth and a dodo, etc.

Wasn't there a case recently of a grizzly bear/polar bear hybrid that was killed?