Human Genome Project
...uccessfully clone a number of endangered species in the near future. The Chinese panda bear may need to rely on this process in order to survive into the future. There are approximately 1,000 pandas in the wild and about 140 in zoos and the number is steadily declining. This is due to the complications many pandas have in their ability to reproduce naturally. With a little help from science we may see the panda and other endangered species flourish, preserving a diverse and bountiful animal kingdom. There are many criticisms against nearly every aspect of cloning. One such argument is that cloning is too expensive in terms of time, manpower and money. Why should we be wasting all of these resources on a science that has yet to produce consistent successful results? The truth is that a vast majority of cloning operations fail to achieve their goals and produce results that don’t really help us understand if cloning is safe or not. With a limited national budget, there are many other projects that can profit from the resources that cloning takes up. Many argue that we should use these resources on more traditional medical research, like finding a cure for cancer or HIV. There can also be some serious long-term problems with cloning. If we were to fully embrace the cloning of humans and other animals on a large scale, we would soon see a decline in the genetic diversity, and a decline in the gene pool itself. Think about it, if everyone has the same genetic material, what happens if we lose the ability to clone. We would have to go back to good old-fashioned natural reproduction. However, since we all have the same genetic material we would basically be inbreeding and our children would face many problems including deformities, mental retardation, or genetic mutations. Also, if a population of organisms has the same genetic information, then a certain violent disease could potentially wipe out the entire population. So as you can see it is of paramount importance that we retain our genetic diversity. Although this is not a serious problem now, we may have to deal with it within a few generations, depending on how the progress of cloning proceeds. I feel that cloning is a science that we need to research and understand but not necessarily apply. I see it as a stepping stone toward the advancement of science and it is important that we are able to control this great power. I don’t really agree with using cloning to create identical human beings but I think that it can be beneficial to use stem cells to help patients who have various problems, such as heart disease or a terminal illness. However, I believe that cloning has a long way to go and I would have to see much better success rates before I would actually support the cloning of anything. The Human Genome Project is sure to usher in a flurry of new technologies and techniques in how we conduct our everyday lives. The use of the Project is not simply limited to cloning. The field of DNA forensics is taking quantum leaps due to the Project. Every organism has a specific DNA sequence that is unique to their own species. Currently it has proven to be extremely difficult to identify individuals within the same species. But now that we have a better understanding of the human genome, direct comparison of very large DNA segments, and possibly even whole genomes, will become possible and will allow for precise individual identification. This can prove to be a ground-breaking technology with many advantages, but many people are beginning to worry if this technology will strip them of their privacy. After all we aren’t dealing with simple fingerprints here which will simply identify who you are. By looking at someone’s DNA, the observer gains an intimate look into the deepest recesses of an individuals life. As you can see this is a topic which emanates controversy. Both sides provide valid arguments to support their beliefs. First lets look at some of the pros of DNA forensics. The most obvious is that it will help the overall performance of the legal system. It is pretty much impossible for a crime to be committed without leaving any genetic evidence. All it takes is a single hair, a fingernail, or even a few skin cells (which are constantly being shed) to create an DNA profile on your criminal. This technology has already put many criminals behind bars but it is also being used to exonerate people who have been falsely accused of crimes. In the courtroom, genetic evidence simply provides the truth of the situation, unlike other methods like eye-witness testimonies which can be mislead by many factors. In a paternal case, for example, the genetic parents of a child can be positively identified and there will be no confusion as to which family the child belongs to. As time goes on, the technology progresses and it becomes increasingly easier to create an DNA profile on an individual and determine whether they have committed a crime or not. Justice can now be based on scientific fact for the first time and everyone can have a truly fair trial, free from the various distractions that can affect the decision of the jury. A second use for DNA forensics has very important historical uses. Great mysteries which have plagued man for hundreds of years can now be solved. Our assumptions about the past are now being proved wrong not by great historians or philosophers, but by DNA researchers. For instance, the case of the Kennewick man shows that Native Americans may not have been the only people in the New World. He was found in the pacific northwest and his bones predate the arrival of Europeans. Yet there are many structural and genetic differences between him and the Native Americans that lived there at the time. This leads scientists to believe that he may have been part of an entirely unique race that may have vanished over time. New cases involving the truth of the executed King Louis XVI, a string of mysterious murders in Argentina in the 1970’s, and even the last Tsar of Russia and his family have been under review. It is import...