The Seed sprouts in the human cloning debate.

Photo courtesy of: MSN

On 8 January 1998, Dr Richard Seed, a physicist, announced plans that he wanted to create  the first human clone, before any laws could be passed restricting it, using the same techniques to clone Dolly the sheep. He was seeking $2M in funding from private investors and advised that he planned to clone 500 babies per year. But his claims shifted, when he was condemned for taking advantage of vulnerable couples, he said that he would clone himself. But when he was again condemned for being a megalomaniac, he then changed his plans again to clone his wife Gloria.

Seed was a Harvard graduate, had no lab backing, had connections with Clonaid run by The Raelian Sect and had no evidence to back up his claims that he could clone a human. In terms of a controversy, Seed was the perfect “mad scientist”. He was so easy to discredit but he fuelled fears about human cloning already present since the birth Dolly the sheep. I believe he paved the way for other scientists to come forward and stake their claims on the “race” to be the first to clone a human. To demonstrate his extreme views, here is one of his quotes:

"God made man in his own image. God intended for man to become one with God. Cloning and the reprogramming of DNA is the first serious step in becoming one with God.” 
Richard Seed

Next time I will be looking at what others said in response to Seeds outrageous claims.