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Recently, reports spread like wildfire that Harvard geneticist George Church was seeking an "adventurous female human" to be a surrogate mother to a cloned Neanderthal. Church clarified that he was theorizing about the requirements for a Neanderthal clone, rather than actively trying to create one. For now, there's no indication that any scientist is actively attempting to clone a Neanderthal. But a new HuffPost/YouGov poll finds that most Americans are opposed to allowing any scientist to attempt such a feat -- with or without a human surrogate.
The survey found that only 17 percent of Americans said scientists should be allowed to clone a Neanderthal if it were possible, while 63 percent said it should not be allowed. Support for the idea dropped even lower (though not by much) if a human surrogate were required -- 15 percent said scientists should be allowed to clone a Neanderthal and 66 percent said it should not be allowed under those circumstances.
Some bioethicists have suggested that cloning a Neanderthal would be unethical. A Neanderthal clone may lack immunity to modern infections...
The survey found that only 17 percent of Americans said scientists should be allowed to clone a Neanderthal if it were possible, while 63 percent said it should not be allowed. Support for the idea dropped even lower (though not by much) if a human surrogate were required -- 15 percent said scientists should be allowed to clone a Neanderthal and 66 percent said it should not be allowed under those circumstances.
Some bioethicists have suggested that cloning a Neanderthal would be unethical. A Neanderthal clone may lack immunity to modern infections...