{
  "id": 856126,
  "title": "Cloning could be used to save species—or make human “organ sacks”",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/cloning-could-be-used-to-save-species-or-make-human-organ-sacks",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-14T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MIT Technology Review",
    "slug": "mit-technology-review",
    "url": "https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/08/14/1141919/cloning-save-species-or-make-human-organ-sacks/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This week, scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking method of transforming male mouse embryos into their female counterparts. By utilizing a CRISPR-based technique to eliminate the Y chromosome, researchers have successfully generated female clones of male mice, which exhibit genetic similarities with males, with the sole exception of the missing Y chromosome. Takashi Ishiuchi, a reproductive biologist at University of Yamanashi and co-leader of the project, expressed that the accomplishment felt akin to science fiction. Ishiuchi and his colleague, Shogo Matoba of the Riken BioResource Research Center, anticipate their approach could prove beneficial in conservation efforts, particularly when dealing with species that are critically endangered with only a handful of individuals remaining. However, cloning extends far beyond such noble intentions, encompassing a diverse range of applications, from the remarkable to the unsettling. The most renowned instance of cloning is undoubtedly Dolly, the sheep born in 1996 and the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell. In this instance, scientists transplanted the DNA-containing nucleus of an adult mammary cell from a single sheep into an egg cell from which the nucleus had been extracted. The resulting embryo was then transplanted into a surrogate sheep, giving birth to Dolly—the genetic replica of the DNA donor. This pioneering work aimed to explore the potential for genetically modifying livestock, a practice that humans have engaged in for millennia through selective breeding, but cloning offers a more precise method to recreate animals possessing desirable characteristics. Beyond livestock, cloning has been employed to recreate deceased pets, including those of celebrities such as Barbra Streisand and Tom Brady, albeit at a considerable cost of tens of thousands of dollars. This procedure necessitates egg cells from another animal, as well as a surrogate to carry the pregnancy, which has sparked ethical concerns, notably voiced by bioethicist Jessica Pierce who deemed dog cloning as \"the exploitation of the canine underclass.\" The justification for cloning becomes more compelling in the realm of conservation, where some argue that it holds environmental significance. Researchers have been diligently preserving animal tissues for years, often cryopreserving them at low temperatures within \"frozen zoos.\" Institutions like the San Diego Zoo have amassed cells from over 1,300 species, some of which were collected decades ago. These preserved tissues have enabled scientists to generate clones of animals deemed on the brink of extinction, including the black-footed ferret and the Przewalski's horse. Furthermore, cloning might also facilitate the resurrection of extinct species. In 2009, researchers in Spain demonstrated the cloning of an extinct wild goat, the Pyrenean ibex, utilizing skin cells that had been cryopreserved a decade prior. In this experiment, the team employed egg cells from domestic goats to generate a total of 439 embryos; however, only one female was born, who tragically expired minutes after birth due to a lung defect. This Pyrenean ibex stands as the sole creature to have met extinction twice. Colossal Biosciences, a biotech company, is endeavoring to leverage ancient—potentially prehistoric—genetic material to resurrect long-vanished species, such as the thylacine and the woolly mammoth. Thus far, their efforts have predominantly centered around modifying the genomes of contemporary animals. However, technically, it is also feasible to clone humans, though no one has accomplished this feat to date. Some have even entertained the notion of \"brainless clones\"—humans devoid of a brain but possessing all the requisite organs to potentially replace one's own in the future. My colleague Antonio Regalado explored this intriguing concept in March. (I found myself momentarily pausing to digest while revisiting the description.) While cloning has undeniably yielded remarkable achievements over the past few decades, it also evokes a mixture of enthusiasm and apprehension regarding the prospects that lie ahead.",
  "summary": "This week I spoke to scientists who have found a way to turn male mouse embryos female. They’ve developed a CRISPR-based approach to essentially cut out the Y chromosome. It allowed them to create female clones of male mice. That’s right: female animals that are genetically identical to males, except for the missing Y chromosome.…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MIT Tech Review Biotech",
        "title": "Cloning could be used to save species—or make human “organ sacks”",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/cloning-could-be-used-to-save-species-or-make-human-organ-sacks-867100",
        "published": "2026-08-14T09:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}