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POLL: Would you agree to give birth to a Neanderthal baby in the name of science?

 

Ellen E. Jones
Monday 21 January 2013 15:22 GMT
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A picture taken 19 July 2004 shows visitors of the Museum for Prehistory in Eyzies-de-Tayac looking at a Neanderthal man ancestor's reconstruction.
A picture taken 19 July 2004 shows visitors of the Museum for Prehistory in Eyzies-de-Tayac looking at a Neanderthal man ancestor's reconstruction.

Would you agree to give birth to a Neanderthal baby in the name of science? Thanks to the efforts of scientists at Harvard Medical School, this question has graduated from a pub philosopher's hypothetical into a genuine proposition.

Professor George Church, one of the world's leading geneticists, believes his reconstruction of Neanderthal DNA has progressed to the point where it would be possible to put theory into practice and bring the ancient hominid back to life. He told German magazine Der Spiegel, "Now I need an adventurous female human...It depends on a hell of a lot of things, but I think it can be done."

So...any volunteers?

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