Publisher's Synopsis
Ever since photographs of a rather ordinary looking lamb named Dolly made the front pages of newspapers around the world, people have debated both the viability and appropriateness of cloning. The debates that followed Dolly's birth, and recently her death, continue to rage on, fueled by scientific and genetic engineering progress and by ethicists, religious leaders, and everyday citizens who say that cloning is dangerous and involves unacceptable control over someone or something else's complete genetic makeup. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Understanding Cloning teaches consumers all they need to know about the most important technologies of the 21st century: cloning, bioengineering, and the underlying science of genetics and DNA. This century will most likely be known as the century of cloning and related technologies, and this book arms anyone with the necessary facts to understand it all. With no end in sight to either the progress or the debate, consumers need an unbiased and easy-to-understand guide to help with the countless issues, both scientific and ethical, which impact our very existence. In The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Understanding Cloning, readers will find comprehensive background information on the scientific underpinnings of cloning, bioengineering, and genetic engineering, along with evenhanded analysis of moral, political, and ethical issues surrounding these technologies. Topics covered include DNA, Bioengineering, and Genetic Engineering, The Human Genome Project, Therapeutic stem cell cloning, The role biotech and pharmaceutical companies play in cloning and bioengineering and the case for and against human cloning and genetic engineering. The American Government's current and possible future role in cloning is also examined along with what different religions say about cloning. The book also covers how transgenic animals and plants are created, and how they are used today, together with a discussion on the promise and perils of gene therapy, the pros and cons of biofoods and the rights of bioengineered animals.
