As I had written about this (apparently legal in the UK)Human Animal cross, in the past.
I did not want to tack this post onto the previous 26 replies, for fear of boring everyone?
So I am just posting a few of the interesting items into one block below, and adding the interesting post by RICHARD DAWKINS himself.
The original screed of posts starts in "Not Quite Science
Forum" back in 04/30/08 (30th April 2008) page 9.
Post #25860...for those who want to read my first article, and refresh all.
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BUT NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MARCH 2008 a GROUP OF SCIENTISTS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING WORRIED, AND WANT TO BAN
THE FACT THAT PRIMATES CAN LEGALLY HAVE HUMAN GENES INSERTED THAT COULD GIVE THEM HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS.
Well its taken almost 5 years to get serious about this, and it will probably take a few more years to get the above idea banned... if ever?
SO BELOW IS MY SECOND WRITTEN ARTICLE ...and below that, The latest worry by a group of Scientists from a Reuters Video and text, that prompted me to resurrect my article.
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A LEADING scientist has WARNED a new species of "Humanzee", created from breeding APES with HUMANS, could become a reality.
In fact to produce a HUMANZEE, an Ape Human hybrid is quite legal.
Although the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Bill prohibits the placement of animal sperm into a woman.
The REVERSE is not prohibited. In fact its not even mentioned.
Dr Calum MacKellar, director of research at the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, warned the controversial draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill did not prevent human sperm being inseminated into animals.
He said if a female chimpanzee was inseminated with human sperm the two species would be closely enough related, that a hybrid could be born.
So could a half Man half Chimp, Humanzee breed really be possible?
Yes says Dr MacKellar. He said: "The chromosomal difference between a goat and a sheep, (a Shoat) is greater than between humans and chimpanzees."
Professor Bob Millar, director of the Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, based in Edinburgh, agreed. Viable offspring would be possible. He said: "Donkeys can mate with horses and create infertile offspring; maybe that could happen with chimpanzees."
Professor Hugh McLachlan, professor of applied philosophy at Glasgow Caledonian University's School of Law and Applied Sciences, said although the idea was "troublesome", he could see no ethical objections the creation of Humanzees.
Any species came to be what it is now because of all sorts of interaction in the past," he said.
Dr MacKellar said the resulting Humanzee's could raise ethical dilemmas, such as whether it would be treated as human or animal, and what rights it would have.
If there was a possibility of Humanzees developing a conscience, you would have a difficult dilemma on your hands."
There are a number of other hybrid species that have already been created, using only artificial insemination.
Lions and tigers have been bred to create LIGERS, the world's largest cats.
And there are also ZORSES (zebra and horse), WHOLPINS (whale and dolphin), TIGONS, (tiger and lion), LEPJAGS (leopard and jaguar) and ZONKEYS, (zebra and donkey).
Most hybrid animals have been bred in captivity, but there are examples of the process occurring in the wild.
This is far more common in plants than animals, but in April 2006 a hunter in Canada's North-west Territories shot a polar bear whose fur had an orange tint.
Research showed that it had a grizzly bear father, and it became known as a PIZZLY..
In 2003, DNA analysis confirmed that five odd-looking felines found in Maine and Minnesota were bobcat-lynx hybrids, dubbed BLYNXES.
Dr MacKellar said, fascination might be enough of a motive for scientists to try crossing the two species, to produce a Humanzee.
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/latestnews/Exclusive-Half-man-half-chimp.4028970.jpI thought the following item deserves a mention within these postings?
"Spanish Parliament to Extend Human Rights to Apes"
http://uk.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUKL256586320080625Now here is the addition to this interesting post.
With the thoughts of RICHARD DAWKINS posted 2nd Jan: 2009.
"How would you feel about a half-human half-chimp hybrid?"
Dawkins speculates about how a human-chimp hybrid or the discovery of a living Homo erectus would change the way we see the World.
......>2. A successful hybridisation between a human and a chimpanzee. Even if the hybrid were infertile like a mule, the shock waves that would be sent through society would be salutary. This is why this distinguished biologist described this possibility as the most immoral scientific experiment he could imagine: it would change everything! It cannot be ruled out as impossible, but it would be surprising.
More of Richard Dawkins thoughts are below.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2009/jan/02/richard-dawkins-chimpanzee-hybridScientists warn that recent new experiments could create monkeys with brains more human than animal.
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And now for the latest Reuters video, text, that prompted this resurrection.
http://www.reuters.com/video/2011/07/29/scientists-warn-of-planet-of-the-apes-sc?videoId=217664256One final item... I rem reading about an Ape who could remember a long list of random objects far better than the average human. I will try to find this article if poss:
