Frankenstein rat

Scientists have figured out a way to make hearts from dead rats beat again. Ultimately they're hoping to be able to take this a few (many) steps further. They want to create custom organs for people needing transplants.


Don't we live in a fascinating time? I know this and many of the other discoveries raise many ethical and moral questions. Is it right to clone humans? animals? Stem cell research. Finding out your spouse or child has a disease you opt to get pregnant for the stem cells, bone marrow or organ.


We have a lot of choices we make daily on a small scale. Some questions are too big for me to grasp. I may not agree with the extent of stem cell research (i.e., unborn children), but would I be swayed if I found out my son could be cured of a deadly disease?


For some it's easy to make black and white decisions. Cloning is wrong. Always. Stem cell research is wrong when you reach a certain line. It's never right or always right to have a child to cure another human being.


Now we have scientists mimicking the misguided Frankenstein. Right? wrong? How far will they take it? Lots of questions always. Not much of a chance I'll ever have a say in the direction science and research takes the world. However, someday I might benefit from today's discovery.

Scientists create beating hearts in lab
CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. researchers say they have coaxed hearts from dead rats to beat again in the laboratory and said the discovery may one day lead to customized organ transplants for people.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080113/ts_nm/heart_artificial_dc