Through the means of cloning and genetic modifications, humanity could achieve great feats of power and progress at the cost of individuality and sacrifice. Cloning can provide us with genetically superior babies, increased gene pools, resurrection of dead animals, or even immunities from diseases and age, but it could also bring us our downfall. Cloning and genetic modification could also pose serious health risks, destroy current ecosystems, violate ethics and religion, and eliminate individuality (Baxamusa). The effects of cloning will ultimately outweigh the negatives, thus, pushing humanity to the height of development. Cloning has been around since 1996, when a cloned sheep named Dolly was successfully born. Dolly was the product of a form of cloning known as Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) - where in which an egg cell is implanted into a surrogate mother, and subsequently, born (Burgess). With the progress in biochemistry, more cloning techniques have been developed. These include, conventional cloning (SCNT), Gateway cloning (the transfer of snippets of DNA), Golden Gate cloning (reorganizing DNA by using enzymes), and Sequence and Ligase Independent cloning (DNA fragments are cloned into a destination) (Ashwini).  The use of cloning has sparked a controversial debate on whether human cloning should be legal. With the many great benefits that cloning may offer, I do see a place for it today. Making it legal will allow humanity to progress as a civilization.  With cloning, comes genetic manipulation. In recent years, scientists have found out about a very powerful tool found within our own selves. Cas9, a genetic surgeon, can cut and replace strands of DNA to fit our very own needs. With the creation of CRISPR, an instruction manual for Cas9 - if you will -  we will be able to control what Cas9 does, effectively, propagating our own human evolution. The more we clone, the more we will be likely to edit our very own genomes (Taylor). Genetic modification could allow us to shape clones of ourselves, but with enhanced or added characteristics (Baxamusa). You might be wondering why we would only use Cas9 on clones. The main reason is because it’s easier - an extracted egg cell is easier to manipulate than an egg cell inside a uterus. The extracted egg cell is in a much more controlled environment (Kjelland). Depending on how you look at it, genetic manipulation may be a good or a bad (I will go more in depth as to why further into the essay). As I see it, the negative and positive effects of such an endeavor is somewhat balanced, making it an either or; a risk worth taking. However, in the future, when it is a much more polished and perfected technique, the general opinion about should shift to being positive as there wouldn’t be any risk involved. According to the CDC (Center of Disease Control), 1 out of 8 couples struggle with infertility – which is a high rate, for such a big step in one’s life. A basic use of cloning is allowing infertile couples to have children of their own (Baxamusa). We’ll be able to transplant parts of their DNA using Gateway cloning, and make egg and sperm cells externally. However, as Baxamusa stated, a downside to this may be that couples (who are fertile) may not even want to have natural born children anymore. They may just opt to getting their own, genetically modified child. I find the downside as not being too big of a problem for only the richest would be able to clone and genetically modify their own child. An average couple would only do this if the stakes were high, as it is a costly endeavor, let alone genetically modify it. With the addition of cloning, many infertile couples will be glad to know that there is an alternative. Ranging from Cancer and Diabetes to the Bubonic Plague, and Ebola, diseases have continued to plague humanity with sorrow, suffering, and economic setbacks. Yu Juhua and his fellow colleagues have found that carp have a certain serum that is anti-bacterial. The serum, CcSAA, could kill E. Coli and A. Hydrophila bacteria (both can be deadly to humans). By testing for the evolutionary branch of these fish and their serum (CcSAA), they found that it had close ties to mammalian serums (such as SAA4). In theory, with the similar evolution of both serums, scientists could infuse a genetically modified clone of CcSAA into humans. With the possibility of rearranging the properties of our cloned babies, we’ll be able to eliminate diseases with the use of compatible serums or cells. With diseases out of the way, more money and time would be allocated to developing society. Less time and effort would be needed to create medicines. Less people will die unexpectedly (at a younger age).  Why stop at disease/age-immunity? As it now stands, Cas9 can pretty much do anything. We’ll be able to manipulate our clones’ characteristics to whatever we see fit. Whether it be height, looks, or even intelligence – we’ll be able to decide what our copies may have - think of them as “designer babies” (Taylor, Baxamusa). If you decide to, in a theoretical scenario, you’d be able to ask your doctor to modify your child’s intellectual capacity, or his strength, speed, or the color of his eyes (Taylor). In the near future, this may just be imperative, for we, as a race may find ourselves sailing across the vastness of space. If we ever hope to colonize a planet, our bodies will need to be adapted to the local conditions. One of the main things we should adapt to is the local gravity. If our bodies our not capable of withstanding the strange environment, we will most likely perish, or end up severely deformed. A solution to this, is pre-adapting clones to the environment in which they are about to enter. In the long run, this method will prevent many deaths and physical impediments to Earthen raised humans. So, even though I disagree with (effectively) “breeding” children for such tasks, I do see it as being imperative to accomplishing greater feats such as the age-long dream of space conquest or reversing climate change. According to the American Transplant Foundation, 20 people die daily from the lack of available transplantable organs. That’s about 7.5 thousand people a year. By cloning human organs, we’ll be able to save thousands of lives yearly, and help those in desperate need. Sarah Knapton, a science correspondent from the Telegraph, stated that by “[turning] adult human skin cells into stem cells, which can grow into any type of tissue in the body” we will effectively, be able to replace deficient or missing organs. So, not only will be able to render diseases obsolete, we’ll also be able to “regenerate” missing organs. As stem cells can change into any other cell (i.e. heart/lung/hair etc.), it wouldn’t be too big of a stretch to clone missing limbs, such as arms or legs, albeit, it may be difficult, as they contain multiple types of cells, and are not enclosed within the body (MedicalNewsToday).  With a combination of the last three benefits of cloning, we could also achieve immortality. There are several immortal animals that have found the Fountain of Youth, but what if we could take a sip from the fabled fountain ourselves (Stone)? As the video made by Kurzgesagt presents, aging is the root of all diseases. As we grow older, our cells become weaker, allowing for the multitude of diseases a free ticket into your nervous system. Theoretically, by replacing dying cells or deficient organs, we would be able to slow down or even halt the effects of aging (Taylor), if we so choose to. Think of it as this, as time passes, several factors wear out your internal mechanisms – much like how a gust of wind, and a hail of rain eats away at a mighty cliff-face. But, as long as we reinforce or maintain, let’s say, Mount Rushmore, our efforts would inevitably lengthen its lifespan. With this method, we could extend our lifespan to whatever we may wish.  As of now, humanity has pushed and violated many ecosystems and environments, effectively causing extinction for many species. What if we could resurrect the species that we have eliminated? What if, we could stroll into a zoo and find a Mammoth or a Dodo in one of the ‘special’ enclosures? A trivial use of cloning could be to bring back animals which have fossilized DNA. By using Gateway cloning, we’d effectively be able to bring them back as if nothing ever happened. Albeit we will not be able to release them back into the wild for they could disrupt the current ecosystems (Baxamusa). However, we may examine them to learn about the past. For example, we will be able to learn more about the Ice Age from a living Woolly Mammoth (rather than a fossil), from its habits, selection of food, and anatomy. We could also release them into a wildlife conservation refuge – where they specialize in conserving endangered organisms. Whilst it may not seem practical at first glance, reviving extinct animals, will be a fundamental step to learning about our planet’s past, and our own. In addition to reviving extinct animals, we could also bring the population up for endangered or poached animals to conserve a species.Another cause for extinction or failing communities (of any organism) is a lack of genetic variation. This problem arises when a species fails to adapt to changing environments or diseases. In the end, dwindling or even eliminating their numbers (Ehrlich). Cloning modified humans and endangered animals with different genes could save the entire species (Kjelland). By utilizing genetic modifications, we’ll be able to keep a deficiency in variation low. As Kjelland proposes, we could extract fertilized egg cells, modify its genome, and theoretically prevent the issue. However, this should not be used frivolously for species die out for a reason. If a species kept thriving, there’d be no need for natural competition. Therefore, this should only ever be used for research purposes or for farming. Although cloning has many benefits, there are problems associated with it too. As of now, perfect cloning / genetic modification is not possible. Many of the test subjects end up with defects or dead (Baxamusa). This is the main topic that prevents human cloning or genetic splicing from being legal, let alone commercial. There are many cases where clones have had missing or more limbs or organs than intended, others have simply died from diseases. An example being a two month old calf (cloned from an ear of a cow), died from blood and heart problems (Jones). As of now, yes, cloning is very risky. It is only in its infant stage. Therefore, I currently do not condone the cloning of actual people. Everyone should wait until it is actually viable. But as cloning becomes more perfected, and technology becomes more advanced and reliable, cloning will find its way into the limelight. As people begin to realize that cloning is a reliable way to have children or pets, it will become more and more used. People were afraid of fire in the past, afraid that it was stolen from the gods – afraid to use it, afraid of the damage that it could cause. But in time, people found out the immense potential there was in it.  Another factor halting the legalization of human genome editing, and cloning, are ethics. Cloning and gene splicing may violate our individuality (Baxamusa). Why would anyone be worth anything if we can are dispensable?  Won’t jobs hire the elite? The ones who were made to specialize in that field? Would there even be a sense of self-worth anymore? I do see this as potentially being a big problem. Think of it like this: if a person is a doctor - that means that he is qualified. If a clone is a doctor – that also means that he is qualified. No matter how smart you are, you will have had to have passed the same courses as the next guy. You are always accepted through your ability to do a job. There is nothing stopping a natural born human to reach the same level of expertise as a clone. If we think of it this way, we will see that it should not change much of how we live our lives. People will always be offered jobs, and these clones will be few and far between. Not everyone will be able to have cloned children – let alone genetically modify them. Sure, there is a slight advantage if you are more intellectually or physically inclined, but in the end, you will have to go through the same processes as the next guy. And in the end, jobs only look for the qualified, the single defining factor. Religion also plays a part on whether human cloning could be legalized. The largest religions in the world, Christianity and Judaism, are very much against the idea of cloning. It defies their beliefs of God, the creator of Life (Tierney). John Tierney states that even though Western Culture prevents the legalization of human cloning, the East believes otherwise. Buddhist and Hindu religions do not see anything wrong with it. They have many gods, so to them, this power to create and manipulate life is and can be a power granted to them. ““Asian religions worry less than Western religions that biotechnology is about ‘playing God,’” says Cynthia Fox, the author of “Cell of Cells,” a book about the global race among stem-cell researchers” (Tierney). There is a divide in religious beliefs throughout the world. But western religions will see that cloning is just another utility. Much like how people were afraid of fire in the past, afraid that it was stolen from the gods. But as they soon found out, it was nothing more than a tool that they could use. It advanced their society, increased their lifespans, and provided a better living condition (warmth, light, increased nutrition in food). Cloning in the future will not be much different, it will provide as much advancement as fire did to early humans.   In its current state, it should not be used on humans. It is a very experimental method, with high risk involved. However, when it is much more polished, I believe cloning will greatly progress humanity. With the capabilities to increase immunity from diseases and age, create transplantable organs, resurrect extinct or endangered animals, provide infertile couples children of their own, and provide humanity the necessary evolution to explore space and other worlds. It may seem daunting, or even scary to us right now for we don’t necessarily know what it may do to our way of life, but with its potential, we should at least give it a chance. After all, we gave fire a chance. We gave science a chance. Now it’s time to give cloning a chance.
