Neandertal child reconstruction from the Musee National de Prehistoire in Les Eyzies de Tayac, France I think I've received at least ten emails about this interview with George Church in Der Spiegel, mostly because I've been joking about this for years: "I'll carry the Neandertal baby!". I can joke about this since I know the capabilities to clone or hybrid a Neandertal are not even close to being possessed nor is there a desire--that I am aware of--in the scientific community to bring Neandertals back. Except maybe to prove a bet.
Church claims he was mistranslated; however, the interview was conducted in English and Church approved the transcript. People are clearly very intrigued by this idea, and I don't know if it is because of some morbid curiosity, genuine disgust, or sincere interest in this being true. I can't imagine this would pass any human research subjects board, though apparently Church has been getting emails from women offering to be a surrogate. Church initially suggested that a female chimp carry the Neandertal baby which is much more outrageous to me. It indicates very little knowledge about paleoanthropology and perhaps someone thinks Neandertals are a missing link between modern humans and chimpanzees?
Church claims he was mistranslated; however, the interview was conducted in English and Church approved the transcript. People are clearly very intrigued by this idea, and I don't know if it is because of some morbid curiosity, genuine disgust, or sincere interest in this being true. I can't imagine this would pass any human research subjects board, though apparently Church has been getting emails from women offering to be a surrogate. Church initially suggested that a female chimp carry the Neandertal baby which is much more outrageous to me. It indicates very little knowledge about paleoanthropology and perhaps someone thinks Neandertals are a missing link between modern humans and chimpanzees?
The original artcle:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/george-church-explains-how-dna-will-be-construction-material-of-the-future-a-877634.html
Der Spiegel's comments about the media frenzy surrounding the first article:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel-responds-to-brouhaha-over-neanderthal-clone-interview-a-879311.html
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/george-church-explains-how-dna-will-be-construction-material-of-the-future-a-877634.html
Der Spiegel's comments about the media frenzy surrounding the first article:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel-responds-to-brouhaha-over-neanderthal-clone-interview-a-879311.html
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