Cloning: The Future of the World?

Human beings have always wanted to improve certain aspects of their lives, be it their jobs, their cars, their eye color, and hey, some might even opt to reproduce themselves if possible. So when the topic of cloning begins hitting the mainstream, it's no surprise. After all, there are days when all of us would appreciate having a "twin" that could go to work on our behalf when we're too tired. A debate on the topic of DNA cloning has been ongoing since James Watson and Francis Crick published their paper on the structure of DNA in 1953. And with continual advancements in medical technology, we are rapidly moving toward an era where anything is possible, from cloning animals to creating actual mirror copies of human beings. But before we delve into some milestones of cloning, please understand that the purpose of this article is not to influence your opinion on the matter, but rather bring to light the fact that its popularity is on the rise.

Clone troopers march onto their starships.

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (video ...

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (soundt...

Considering that cloning is often searched online, whether you're for or against it, it is still worthy of mention.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language defines cloning as "a DNA sequence, such as a gene, that is transferred from one organism to another and replicated by genetic engineering techniques." In other words, cloning aims at creating exact replicas of organisms. The cutting and planting of flowers and plants in your garden is actually a form of cloning.

To understand the evolution of the topic, here is a brief timeline of the history of cloning in recent years:

February 1997: After an estimated 276 attempts, Dolly the sheep, the first successful cloning of an animal from adult cells, is created. Although the discovery took place in 1996, it was only announced in...