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Dozens of people are frozen in cryogenic storage facilities, waiting to be revived when science is able to cure whatever killed them. But if they're dead, is revival from a frozen state even possible? Find out.

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Many people first heard of cloning when Dolly the Sheep showed up on the scene in 1997. Artificial cloning technologies have been around for much longer than Dolly, though.

There are two ways to make an exact genetic copy of an organism in a lab: artificial embryo twinning and somatic cell nuclear transfer.

1. Artificial Embryo Twinning

Artificial embryo twinning is a relatively low-tech way to make clones. As the name suggests, this technique mimics the natural process that creates identical twins.

In nature, twins form very early in development when the embryo splits in two. Twinning happens in the first days after egg and sperm join, while the embryo is made of just a small number of unspecialized cells. Each half of the embryo continues dividing on its own, ultimately developing into separate, complete individuals. Since they developed from the same fertilized egg, the resulting individuals are genetically identical.

Artificial embryo twinning uses the same approach, but it is carried out in a Petri dish instead of inside the mother. A very early embryo is separated into individual cells, which are allowed to divide and develop for a short time in the Petri dish. The embryos are then placed into a surrogate mother, where they finish developing. Again, since all the embryos came from the same fertilized egg, they are genetically identical.

2. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), also called nuclear transfer, uses a different approach than artificial embryo twinning, but it produces the same result: an exact genetic copy, or clone, of an individual. This was the method used to create Dolly the Sheep.

What does SCNT mean? Let's take it apart:

Somatic cell: A somatic cell is any cell in the body other than sperm and egg, the two types of reproductive cells. Reproductive cells are also called germ cells. In mammals, every somatic cell has two complete sets of chromosomes, whereas the germ cells have only one complete set.

Nuclear: The nucleus is a compartment that holds the cell's DNA. The DNA is divided into packages called chromosomes, and it contains all the information needed to form an organism. It's small differences in our DNA that make each of us unique.

Transfer: Moving an object from one place to another. To make Dolly, researchers isolated a somatic cell from an adult female sheep. Next they removed the nucleus and all of its DNA from an egg cell. Then they transferred the nucleus from the somatic cell to the egg cell. After a couple of chemical tweaks, the egg cell, with its new nucleus, was behaving just like a freshly fertilized egg. It developed into an embryo, which was implanted into a surrogate mother and carried to term. (The transfer step is most often done using an electrical current to fuse the membranes of the egg and the somatic cell.)

The lamb, Dolly, was an exact genetic replica of the adult female sheep that donated the somatic cell. She was the first-ever mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell.

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Many people first heard of cloning when Dolly the Sheep showed up on the scene in 1997. Artificial cloning technologies have been around for much longer than Dolly, though. There are two ways to make an exact genetic copy of an organism in a lab: artificial embryo twinning and somatic cell nuclear transfer.

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More than one hundred people have been cryopreserved since the first case in 1967. More than one thousand people have made legal and financial arrangements for cryonics with one of several organizations, usually by means of affordable life insurance. Alcor is the largest organization, and distinguished among cryonics organizations by its advanced technology and advocacy of a medical approach to cryonics.

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The Case for Cryonics | Cryonics Institute

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Robert Ettinger was placed in cryostasis July 28, 2011 at the Cryonics Institute facility in Michigan at the age of 92. As a scientist, futurist and most of all, "The Original Cryonicist," Robert Ettinger and his works are the foundation and in many ways the soul of the cryonics movement.

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1. Very expensive

2. False expectation(may not even work)

3. Wake up in the future with no friends or family

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1. Saving endangered animals

2. Preserving foods for future crises or famine

3. Organs can be preserved and kept for people who need them

4. human survival through time without aging

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You can arrange for automatic PayPal payment of Yearly Membership Dues on a Quarterly or Yearly basis AFTER you have filled-in and submitted a membership application and paid the initiation fee which have been received and approved. (You can pay the initiation fee by going to PayPal. From the top menu, select "Personal > Send and receive > Send Money." Enter info@cryonics.org. for the email address and make your payment of $75.) Note that when arranging for automatic Quarterly or Yearly payment, the first Quarterly or Yearly payment is made IMMEDIATELY upon arranging for automatic payment. To arrange automatic payment click on one of the following buttons:

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Cryonics Institute Home - The Cryonics Institute

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The Cryonics Institute provides cryonics services for whole-body human and pet cryopreservation, DNA and tissue storage and more.

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As research continues to uncover new disease-causing mutations, it becomes increasingly possible to stop the transmission of certain heritable diseases. In the long term, this may lead to complete eradication of diseases like Down Syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and hemophilia. However, some wonder if modern day attempts to eradicate hereditary disorders equate to eugenics.

One complication of genetic testing for the purpose of disease eradication is that, in practice, a particular ethnic group will likely be involved due to shared ancestry. For instance, Tay-Sachs disease is significantly more common in certain Jewish communities. Tay-Sachs is a genetic disease that causes a deterioration of mental and physical abilities and results in death by age four. Eradicating Tay-Sachs will require screening all individuals in the affected population. However, a public campaign to test all individuals of Jewish descent for Tay-Sachs carrier status may for some recall the racist motivations of eugenicists in the early 20 th century, particularly those associated with Nazi Germany. Also, racial stereotypes or biases may be reinforced if genetic testing performed on individuals of an ethnic group reveals a predisposition to a particular disease or condition.

Using modern genetic technology, prospective parents can be prescreened to determine their carrier status for certain diseases. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis following in vitro fertilization allows parents to select embryos that are free of disease. Additionally, prenatal genetic testing can provide a lot of information to parents about their unborn child. These technologies make more informed decision-making possible, but some are concerned about a shift in the way we view family and parenting. Parents who want to have a child without pursuing genetic testing may feel guilty if the child is born with any health problems. Additionally, some are concerned about what an overemphasis on eliminating disabilities in unborn children will mean for people who already have the disability.

The most significant difference between modern genetic technologies, that some view as eugenic, and the historical use of eugenics is consent. Today, individuals pursue genetic testing by choice. An individual can never be forced into testing or be required to take action, such as sterilization, based on the results of a genetic test. Individuals differ in their views on genetic testing in relation to reproductive decision-making and possible eugenic motivations, but at least today parents have the choice to use the technology or not.

CLICK HERE for an introduction to eugenics
CLICK HERE to view a case study that asks if certain prenatal procedures can be considered eugenic

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Is Eugenics Happening Today? - Genetics Generation

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Is Eugenics Happening Today? As research continues to uncover new disease-causing mutations, it becomes increasingly possible to stop the transmission of certain heritable diseases. In the long term, this may lead to complete eradication of diseases like Down Syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and hemophilia. However, some wonder if modern day attempts to eradicate hereditary disorders equate ...

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1. Genetic problems

2. Harmful side effects

3. Questioned if this is moral should scientists really pursue this

4. Over-population from people living longer

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1. Could increase production

2. Better growth, nutrition, and growth rate, in fruits and vegetables

3. modification of the human DNA

4. Pest-resisitant crops

5. Genetically engineered humans can be smarter, faster, and stronger

6. Humans ciuld live longer

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Manipulation of genes in natural organisms, such as plants, animals, and even humans, is considered genetic engineering. This is done using a variety of different techniques like molecular cloning. These processes can cause dramatic changes in the natural makeup and characteristic of the organism. There are benefits and risks associated with genetic engineering, just like most other scientific practices.

The 4 Pros of Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering offers benefits such as:

1. Better Flavor, Growth Rate and Nutrition
Crops like potatoes, soybeans and tomatoes are now sometimes genetically engineered in order to improve size, crop yield, and nutritional values of the plants. These genetically engineered crops also possess the ability to grow in lands that would normally not be suitable for cultivation.

2. Pest-resistant Crops and Extended Shelf Life
Engineered seeds can resist pests and having a better chance at survival in harsh weather. Biotechnology could be in increasing the shelf life of many foods.

3. Genetic Alteration to Supply New Foods
Genetic engineering can also be used in producing completely new substances like proteins or other nutrients in food. This may up the benefits they have for medical uses.

4. Modification of the Human DNA
Genes that are responsible for unique and desirable qualities in the human DNA can be exposed and introduced into the genes of another person. This changes the structural elements of a persons DNA. The effects of this are not know.

The 4 Cons of Genetic Engineering

The following are the issues that genetic engineering can trigger:

1. May Hamper Nutritional Value
Genetic engineering on food also includes the infectivity of genes in root crops. These crops might supersede the natural weeds. These can be dangerous for the natural plants. Unpleasant genetic mutations could result to an increased allergy occurrence of the crop. Some people believe that this science on foods can hamper the nutrients contained by the crops although their appearance and taste were enhanced.

2. May Introduce Risky Pathogens
Horizontal gene shift could give increase to other pathogens. While it increases the immunity against diseases among the plants, the resistant genes can be transmitted to harmful pathogens.

3. May Result to Genetic Problems
Gene therapy on humans can end to some side effects. While relieving one problem, the treatment may cause the onset of another issue. As a single cell is liable for various characteristics, the cell isolation process will be responsible for one trait will be complicated.

4. Unfavorable to Genetic Diversity
Genetic engineering can affect the diversity among the individuals. Cloning might be unfavorable to individualism. Furthermore, such process might not be affordable for poor. Hence, it makes the gene therapy impossible for an average person.

How Do You Feel about Genetic Engineering?

Genetic engineering might work excellently but after all, it is a kind of process that manipulates the natural. This is altering something which has not been created originally by humans. What can you say about this?

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Pros and Cons of Genetic Engineering - HRFnd

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Manipulation of genes in natural organisms, such as plants, animals, and even humans, is considered genetic engineering. This is done using a variety of different techniques like molecular cloning. These processes can cause dramatic changes in the natural makeup and characteristic of the organism.

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1. Everyone has the right to a child

2. Could very well be misused.

3. known as immoral

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1. The population of the world is about 6.2 billion, sterilization would lower the population

2. It could be an effective way to prevent spreading stds

3. A good punishment used against criminals

4. Breed desired traits into humans

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With so much enhancement in medical science, cloning is slowly but surely looking like it could be in our near future. However, is it really an option that should be considered as a way to extend human life? Find out the pros and cons, and decide for yourself if cloning is worth the risks. Take an introduction to biology with an online class.

Pro: Reproductive Cloning

Reproductive cloning has a number of pros. Much of it relates to helping human families gain children, but there is also a benefit for the animal world. Take an online course in GCSE Biology. Here's a brief list of the ways reproductive cloning can help:

Parents with no eggs and sperm can create children that are genetically related.

Same sex couples can have children without the use of donor sperm or donor eggs. The men would only require a surrogate to carry the clone until birth.

Parents that have lost a child can have that child returned to them with a clone.

Endangered animals can be cloned to save the species.

These all bring hope to people eager for children but unable to have their own or adopt. It can also bring about the recreation of species that have long since died, allowing scientists to fully study the species as a living creature instead of simply looking at images or bones.

Pro: Organ Replacement

Many believe that cloning can be used to replace failing organs. This will diminish the waiting list for organ donations and allow more people to be saved. Not only that, but because the organ is, in fact, your own organ, there would be less chance of rejection. Your body would recognize the new organ as your own. Create an A+ Biology research paper with an online class.

Pro: Genetic Research

Cloning could prove helpful in the research of genetics. Using cloning technologies, genetic researchers would have a better understanding of the composition of genes and the effects of genetic constituents on human traits. There is also the likely ability to alter genetic constituents in cloned humans, and cloning could help combat genetic diseases. Discover a mathematical way to observe biology with an online course.

Pro: Obtaining Desired Traits in Organisms

With the use of cloning, organisms can be customized to suit the needs of whatever research purposes being done. Using genetic alteration in plants and animals, researchers can replicate organisms needed for research. No longer would there be the worry of scientists harming creatures because these creatures would be cloned specifically for the purpose of research. Read an interesting article on questions for the GCSE exam.

Pro: Recovery from Traumatic Injury

Healing and recovery times could be lowered because of cloning. Using the person's own cells, they will be able to recover that much faster and that much easier. Using their own cells, they would be given the chance to truly heal with less complications.

Con: Reproductive Cloning

There are a number of negatives involved with reproductive cloning, and they are listed below. Some of the arguments are religious in nature.

Cloning children could foster an understanding that children can be designed and replicated to the parents' wishes.

There would be a lack of uniqueness and violate convictions regarding human individuality and freedom. Clones could be seen as less than human compared with non-clones.

Children created by cloning would live in the shadow of the genetic donor, always having to live up to the expectations of a person they were created from. Imagine discovering that you are the clone of a child your parents lost, and you live your life always being compared to the dead child.

95% of animal cloning has ended in failure due to genetic defects, and cloning is considered unsafe because of it.

Many believe that cloning is against God's wishes because the clones would be created by man. Man would be playing God and create people that are unable to feel and empathize. There is also the belief that these clones would be created without a soul.

There are many more arguments against reproductive cloning, but this is a brief list of the main arguments. When thinking about cloning children designed and replicated to the parents' wishes, consider the book My Sister's Keeper in which Anna is the product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis and is born for the sole purpose of being a bone marrow plant for her older sister Kate.

Con: Increased Malpractice

While the cloning of body organs can be a great asset to extending human life, it could also cause a lot of malpractice. Along with the ability to clone desired traits, there could be the possibility of people deliberately reproducing undesired traits. This could lead to a rise in malpractices within society.

Con: Lack of Diversity

Cloning involves a process of creating identical genes. As such, there would be a lack of diversity in humankind. Scientists believe this lack of diversity will lower the human race's ability to adapt. Plus, there would be a lack of diversity in the world leading to everyone looking the same.

Con: Faster Aging

The idea behind cloning is to harvest cells from a donor, raise them to embryonic stage in a petri dish, and then place them in a surrogate to grow to term. However, there is a possibility that the age of the donor could be imprinted on the growing embryo. Tis would cause premature aging issues and potentially lead to premature death.

Con: Security

People shed millions of cells throughout their day as their skin cells fall off. You can leave skin cells even on a computer keyboard, and those cells could be used to clone you if cloning becomes a reality. What laws would there be to defend your rights as the true non-clone compared to the clone? Would there be any defense against people collecting cells and cloning random people?

Final Note

Whatever your view on cloning may be, studies show that the clone would in fact not be completely identical to the original just as twins are not completely identical. Though they might look alike, twins have different personalities and enjoy different things. The same would be said of clones. Even if technology were created in which your memories and thoughts could be transmitted to the clone, your clone would still be a different person.

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The Pros and Cons of Cloning: Is it Worth the Risk?

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With so much enhancement in medical science, cloning is slowly but surely looking like it could be in our near future. However, is it really an option that should be considered as a way to extend human life? Find out the pros and cons, and decide for yourself if cloning is worth the risks.

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1. Increase in malpractice

2. Faster aging

3. 95% of animal cloning has ended in failure due to genetic defects, and cloning is considered unsafe because of it

4. Many believe that cloning is against God’s wishes because the clones would be created by man. Man would be playing God and create people that are unable to feel and empathize.

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1. Endangered animals can be cloned to save the species

2. Cloning can be used to replace failing organs, which will diminish the waiting list for organs

3. Could help with research in genetics

4. Parents with no eggs and sperm can create children that are genetically related.

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Parents should not be able to choose the traits of their kids. It would be good for kids with mental disorders. The DNA we have from out parents, is what makes us unique. If we got to choose what we would want it wouldn't be as diverse as it is now. Genetic engineering could be misused.

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I believe it is kind of inhumane to sterilize someone.I believe giving life to someone is a great gift. And it shouldn't be taken away from anyone.

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In my opinion I don't think we should clone people, or animals. But we should clone cells or organs to help people.