Wow! I Just Read The Scariest Morning News Ever - Artificial Sperm Created!
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
July 8, 2009 3:34am CST
It's Wednesday morning. I've had my breakfast and switched on my computer whilst drinking a cup of tea, when the scariest news loomed before me! The headlines on Sky News read [b]"Scientists Create 'Artificial Human Sperm'[/b
Apparently, a team of scientists, led by one Professor Karim Nayernia, encouraged the division of embryonic stem cells, which then grew tails and became sperm cells. These created cells have been named "In Vitro Derived" or IVD sperm, and although the scientists say they will not use them in the lab to create "humans" but that they would hope the law might be changed so that the sperm could be used to treat infertile fathers. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090708/tuk-scientists-create-artificial-human-s-45dbed5.html
I nearly choked on my tea when I read that! What do you think about it? I think it's one of the weirdest things I've ever seen in the news... I even had to stop and think about whether it was April Fool's Day!!! 
I mean.. I know that some couples are infertile and would go to great lengths to have a child of their own, but even if these sperm reacted and produced an embryo, I can't see that they could produce a "normal" child. I'm imagining "alien" children right now, wandering our planet, forming groups or families of their own. 
It's kinda wild, I know and a wacky thought, but would you take the risk if you desperately wanted a child, and this was made legal? It spooks me out, to be honest, but maybe not everybody feels the same way as I do!
I can imagine a whole little army of alien children being produced, who will be guided by this guy to take over the world! A kind of "power seeker's" game, whereby he becomes the world's ruler through his "aritificial" children. Ok... maybe I've watched too many sci-fi films and my imagination's a bit vivid, but I can't help feeling uneasy about the whole thing. How was he ever given license to conduct this experiment, let alone realease his findings on the general public. I feel it's way, way out of line!
Let me know your feelings... am I the only one who is shocked by this news? I'm a great believer in all things coming from natural sources and being natural, and there being a reason for everything. How about you? What do you think might be the outcome of this discovery, and what sort of crazed person would actually set out to find such a creation. Throw me your views, please!
Apparently, a team of scientists, led by one Professor Karim Nayernia, encouraged the division of embryonic stem cells, which then grew tails and became sperm cells. These created cells have been named "In Vitro Derived" or IVD sperm, and although the scientists say they will not use them in the lab to create "humans" but that they would hope the law might be changed so that the sperm could be used to treat infertile fathers. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090708/tuk-scientists-create-artificial-human-s-45dbed5.html
I nearly choked on my tea when I read that! What do you think about it? I think it's one of the weirdest things I've ever seen in the news... I even had to stop and think about whether it was April Fool's Day!!! I mean.. I know that some couples are infertile and would go to great lengths to have a child of their own, but even if these sperm reacted and produced an embryo, I can't see that they could produce a "normal" child. I'm imagining "alien" children right now, wandering our planet, forming groups or families of their own. It's kinda wild, I know and a wacky thought, but would you take the risk if you desperately wanted a child, and this was made legal? It spooks me out, to be honest, but maybe not everybody feels the same way as I do!
I can imagine a whole little army of alien children being produced, who will be guided by this guy to take over the world! A kind of "power seeker's" game, whereby he becomes the world's ruler through his "aritificial" children. Ok... maybe I've watched too many sci-fi films and my imagination's a bit vivid, but I can't help feeling uneasy about the whole thing. How was he ever given license to conduct this experiment, let alone realease his findings on the general public. I feel it's way, way out of line!
Let me know your feelings... am I the only one who is shocked by this news? I'm a great believer in all things coming from natural sources and being natural, and there being a reason for everything. How about you? What do you think might be the outcome of this discovery, and what sort of crazed person would actually set out to find such a creation. Throw me your views, please!7 people like this
30 responses
@GardenGerty (160697)
• United States
9 Jul 09
Yuck, It is weird. I can see what you are saying there. I cannot think of any reason I would want an artificial sperm, and I can see where it is kind of creepy.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160697)
• United States
20 Jul 09
When we were ready to stop, we did, because I did not have any trouble conceiving.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Jul 09
Yes... I think perhaps the use of the word "alien" was carrying it a bit far but that was the only way I could emphasise my fears here. I'm sure cures for diseases and saving those who are already here, and whose life is threatened, would be a much better way to spend our money. The cost of this experiment must have been astronomical, and for what? A handful of people who have no other hope but to try this? It's false, and it'll break hearts, I'm sure. The thought of it leaves me stone cold.
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution.
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
8 Jul 09
I think that they wouldn't be alien, since they are being produced by human stem cells. I don't think they'd be little robots either, since when have any humans really been very good at following instructions without a threat over their heads (or a hypno-path like Hitler making their minds follow wrong ways.)
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160697)
• United States
19 Jul 09
I have always felt that Mother Nature, or God, or whatever or whoever you want to believe is in control has reasons for people being infertile. I have always felt that in that boat I would not have tried artificial means of conceiving. I do not really know, because I was not in that boat.
2 people like this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Jul 09
You make a good point there, my friend, and I may have been exaggerating a bit when I used the word "aliens", but it's still messing with nature, and that scares me. We have a perfectly good world, controlled by the elements and Mother Nature. Birth is controlled too, and we shouldn't mess. There are so many unwanted children in this world, who probably crave a mother as much as a mother craves her own child, so why don't we spend our money more wisely, and comply with Mother Nature to enjoy our time on this Earth?
Brightest Blessings, and thank you for your contribution, my friend.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
19 Jul 09
I agree that messing with mother nature is pushing things, but I just see this as another attempt to make science fiction, not so fiction. And if there were a major problem with the human genome, then this might help fix it by finding the healthy humans and using their stem cells to make healthy babies.
2 people like this
@SpitFire179 (2536)
• Canada
8 Jul 09
Personally i think it's wrong and disgusting that they would even attempt something like this, the fact is that it'll end up going into human testing once passed, which i hope it doesn't. Then when it does that, if these babies are born really really abnormal they'll likely not classify them human and make it alright to terminate them, another thing i don't agree with, i think it's just a major downward spiral, totally freaky.
Plus, i think that if your meant to have a baby you will have one, sure you can try hormone treatments, and all kinds of natural remedies, but even hormone treatments are ONLY simulated hormones, their not little robot sperm sent to adapt to human life.
Oh man now i'm gonna have nightmares.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
8 Jul 09
Freaky is a good word, my friend, and one which I didn't think of at the time, as I was so incensed! lol. I agree with what you say. They should never be given license to put this into practice... it's horrific, and so prone to going wrong, as you say. Termination would also be way out of line... and how do you decide who's responsible enough to have the treatment, anyway? It could trigger off all manner of inappropriate behaviour, by both males and females. Ewwww, no... it really leaves me cold to even think about it!
Your imagination seems to have gone a similar route to mine. They really would be aliens, wouldn't they? I just can't imagine it working... it's like producing toys!!!
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution, my friend. It's good to see you around. Hope all's well with you. x
@IMEzekieL (498)
•
7 Aug 09
@SpitFire179 Attempting the unthinkable and unbelievable is the job of scientists! Personally, I find this discovery very interesting.
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
11 Jul 09
Yes, I've heard it too. But it didn't bring any weird thoughts or fear of alien children.
First of all, being created from human cells, I would expect some sort of human being to be the outcome.
I can even see how this would be helpful for some people wanting to have a child.
So many more scientific advances seemed way too weird when they first appeared, until they are natural to us now and we think nothing about it.
I don't feel one bit of uneasiness about this, although I am curious to see what will come of it.
As for you.. you said it, you seem to have watched too many sci-fi movies.
Think about it this way... what is natural? If we are given the ability to create something completely new... isn't that natural? wouldn't the result be natural as well?
I am not sure why so many are reacting in fear - which is mostly what the reactions come to.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
22 Jul 09
Of course! It's the differing opinions that make this site and the discussions therein. I much prefer something to "get my teeth into", like this, than something you can't lay a valid discussion to. I appreciate that very much... thank you. In fact, I think your argument deserves a best response here, because I've enjoyed discussing this issue with you. Sometimes, I find it very difficult to relate to some of the threads started in here... I'm lost for words, and that's a first, I can tell you! ha ha ha.
I think we've pretty well talked out our differences though and there's not much I can add to what's already been said. I feel I've learned quite a deal about your personality here, and I like the way you stand up for your beliefs, so in thanking you very much for participating, I have to tell you that your views are quite valuable to me. That's what I like about Mylot. There's always somebody that can show you a different avenue of thinking and teach you something. Thank you, my friend, for today I have learned something new. You have a great Wednesday too!
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
22 Jul 09
It was a pleasure to participate in this discussion.
And even more because now we are friends and I can be notified whenever you post something new.
It's not always that easy to find someone that can discuss different opinions in a respectful way.
Than you for best response :)
1 person likes this
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
20 Jul 09
Being too scared of new things is not natural either, and yet many are :)
You worry that a child created with this process might be prone to disease or deformed. WHy would that be? ANd if it was, it certainly wouldn't be something that doesn't occur naturally.How many children are being born deformed and prone to disease nowadays? There are plenty of them, sadly. YOu have to agree to that.
Couples dealing with infertility might be a minority, but it doesn't mean that they don't deserve the chance to overcome that difficulty.
I will take me a long time to count all the research and experiments that were labeled freaky and that are now common and apparently "natural " to everyone.
And I'm sure there is no need to name them.
Now, I completely agree with you that the money used for such research could be used for many other things - some of them could sound un-natural too, by the way - but we both now, that it wouldn't work like that. If not used for that, the money wouldn't be used for any other research.
Furthermore, I do respect Mother Nature. And if Mother Nature gives me the resources to make something as this, than as I pointed out before, it becomes natural.
By the way, the amount of unwanted, unloved and starving children , seems to be the result of natural creation. You will find hundreds of children in those circumstances being born from what you call natural ways, before you will find one in those circumstances from a couple that can't have children. Check.think about it, and you will see I am not just saying this. It's unfortunately the truth.
In my very humble opinion, there are many other things out there that show less respect for Mother Nature, and they seem to be accepted by all.
In any case, I can only respect your opinion. It's yours and you obviously thought long and hard about it. As I did. We just reached different conclusions, that's all:)
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
8 Jul 09
Well, this is another case of man playing god again... wow... artificial sperm... then next it will be an artificial egg... then these scientists will be given the go signal to create humans using these articial egg and sperm... and that will be the start of a whole new breed of humans... that will eventually start a different kind of discrimination... it will be like the natural born humans against the artificial ones...
Hope this sort of thing will not progress into something... they might think that is a milestone in terms of curing infertility... but morally and ethically speaking... it is just plain wrong...
@Darkwing (21583)
•
8 Jul 09
Precisely! That's exactly the way I looked at it. I think it's gross to be honest, when I think of what could be reproduced here. Then, there is the moral and ethical side of it as you say. It's asking for trouble! A whole generation of monsters could be created who are invincible or something. The mind boggles!
I too hope it will never be accepted. We have IVF in place and although that's not always successful, it is in a way, natural. The sperm are natural and so are the ova, so although it's messing with human "cycles" and processes, it's acceptable and a comforting aid to those unable to conceive without the system. But this is another matter! Not only are men playing God, I feel they are satisfying their own egos and degrading women... yet again!
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
8 Jul 09
Oh my..that is scary. I know that science has come a long way and for that I am thankful but at the same time I think that some things should be left alone. I think that tinkering with the natural scheme of things on that level can lead to nothing but trouble. I am very uneasy about that too. 2 people like this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Jul 09
Yes, I feel this world was created with a plan, and that plan was not to mess with nature. Mother Nature will do whatever she has to, to control the health of our planet and its inhabitants. I'm sure meddling scientists weren't taken into consideration at the time of the creation of the universe, and I'm left cold by all this.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Jul 09
Goodness knows how it would work, or what would come out of it. I wouldn't care to try, even if I were desperate. I think I would rather use the more natural and known artificial insemination, and even that puts me right off.
I guess there are a number of "fors" and "againsts", but I feel the former would outnumber the latter, and also feel that the money spent on this experiment could have been far better spent, especially this time of recession. How about feeding the children in Africa for starters?
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution.
@chaime (1152)
• Philippines
10 Jul 09
Oh my goodness. what else can they come up with.
Although many wanna be parents more so for those who are having problems with having a baby will be 'excited' with the news but still it is, as you said, weird.
Yes, it might help someone later on, but I really fear that we should not interfere with the course of nature in this regard, I feel like this is overstepping the boundaries, if not much then even a little and I think, like you that there is a natural order of things that we should follow and respect as humans.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Jul 09
I couldn't have said it better myself, my friend. I think "Immoral" might be the word you're looking for, and I am sincerely worried about the future of my grandchildren, and their grandchildren in years to come. If these mad scientists are given a free reign, the world will become a tragic place.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
@mjhicks (317)
• United States
11 Jul 09
I saw a blurb on the news about this too. It IS scary to think about all the posibilities. But science is already so far down the road of gene manipulation that who knows what results we might start to see in human evolution in a few generations. There are a so many immune disorders that are not yet understood. The scientist only know a certain gene is faulty or got triggered by something. Many birth defects and other diseases can be traced to bad genes... Stem cell research, gene therapy is already being used for cancer, heart disease and a host of other disorders and diseases. We've been messing with DNA for some time. I am both amazed and scared by all this. Growing up I can remember a few conversations among the kids in my neighborhood or even with my brothers about what the future would be like. Sometimes serious and sometimes trying to top each other in the craziest impossible things. Cars that ran on water,plastic everything,edible dishes.... The plastic everything didn't take long, we have hydrogen converters available for cars that turn water into hydrogen, and someone eve came up with a line of picnic ware that looks like styrafome but is edible and other lines that look like foam but are from corn or some other natural material that does brake down safely. Our most fantastic over the top idea we all thought was just childhood fantisy was medicine that could make one regrow body parts. It is scary how accurate we were as kids....
1 person likes this
@maidangela7349 (1191)
•
9 Jul 09
I saw this report too and thought what wonderful news. Hard work by such clever people is allowing us to understand about our bodies and our lives more and more. We can now treat diseases that made life a misery for millions in the past. Maybe this new discovery will only help a small amount of people to have babies but who knows when else we can discover from it. Imagine being able to prevent the occurance of genitic disorders that currently ruin peoples lives before they are even born
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
10 Jul 09
It can be scariest for males i imagine. The males that spawned my children were as good as being sperm donor anyway. They barely paid child support.
I remembered a song from when i was younger when i heard this news on CNN.
It was called "In the Year 2525". One of the lines in it said "wont need no husband, wont need no wives". It was talking about test tube babies. Cant remember who sang it.
Along with everything manmade i would be careful about this.
@tulipstrader (1467)
• India
10 Jul 09
there is nothing scary about this. if it helps someone, then what is wrong with it. if you are basing your judgement based on your religious sentiments, then may be that is scary for you. but not for others who prefer to accept the reality and appreciate the men for their efforts. science should be used purposefully to the benefit of humanity.
people who object to any advancement in science are crazy and mentally deranged. all inventions and discoveries need not be dangerous. lets approach this with an open mind. there is nothing uneasy or scary about this.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Jul 09
Religious sentiments don't come into it, my friend. I'm pagan and proud of it, and I don't agree with messing with nature. For centuries, men have been feeding their egos, and trying to play God, and this is just another example of the male trying to prove he's faultless! It's the woman who has to carry the child, and the woman whose heart is broken if anything goes wrong. Let me tell you about pregnancy. We walk around for nine months with a tiny human forming inside us. Throughout that nine months, we form a bond with this child. Artificial sperm? What if the baby is not born completely "normal"? What if it is prone to disease, deformity, any number of deficiencies... whose heart is broken? The woman's! And all because the male needs to feed his ego.
It's not right, my friend. Animals cope perfectly well without scientists interfering with their natural cycles, and this, is interfering with nature, in extreme. We already have an extraordinarily large number of children, abandoned, unloved, unwanted and starving, who crave a normal life and a natural mother. Wouldn't our money be better spent on them? I'm sorry, but THAT is only a small part of what's wrong with this programme. It's freaky!
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
@eighternity (363)
• Philippines
10 Jul 09
As if the sperm is very difficult to find! Human keep on doing some freaky things. They do invade the natural way of the earth does.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Jul 09
They certainly do, my friend! I agree wholeheartedly. We already have a fertility programme for the minority who can't have children, which is almost natural, and really, do we need another, unnatural one? I don't think so! I'm totally against messing with Mother Nature's plan. No good can come from disobeying her laws.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
@writon0pages (52)
• Indonesia
10 Jul 09
It is scary...
and maybe later they will try to combined human and animals or others..
bringing to life all mythological creatures again...
..and, men don't have to worried about s.. with women,
'cause, there's lot of things with much bigger and dangerous effects from this to worry about ...
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Jul 09
Well, I think they've shot themselves in the foot this time. If, as you say, it eradicates the need of a man, in conception, then men have no place on this earth any more, for that's all they live for basically! As it is, I fear this assumption is not right, for the sperm is thought only to work if placed inside a man who is otherwise infertile. I still think it's messing with nature and nothing good can come of it. Nobody will convince me otherwise, for they are my beliefs, although I do welcome the differing opinions of others.
To my mind, this is a blatant fingers-up at Mother Nature, and only trouble can emerge from that. I sincerely hope this never gets the green light, my friend. Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
@writon0pages (52)
• Indonesia
3 Aug 09
I didn't say: it will eradicates the needs for men...
What i meant was, if then this thing happens, yes, it might change some things like s.. is only needed for s.. only and not for breeding anymore.
But, men do not have to worried about not being 'used' for s.. by women, because women are still need men for that, even if there's a new invention that change or evolving s.. in different ways, such imaginary s.. or anything.
And i do not like things like this,.. but i do respect advances.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
9 Jul 09
Ah so they are going to create artificial people. I am not thinking of them taking over the world and being our masters - we already have one who wants to be that - I am thinking of those movies such as The Island, Blade Runner, etc. where scientists created artificial humans using something like what these was done. It is frightening, because if one can create artificial humans, it is also possible to not regard them as human. So we would have people who are not regarded as people for transplants, slave labor, to have an unpaid work force even for high end jobs.
So that means the computer geek may be one of those artificial people, but while you will get paid for your work, he will not. Not only that, it might lead to problems even if slavery or transplants is not the goal. We do not know what will develop, infertility, new genetic diseases, etc.
That is why this is wrong. We do not know what we are dealing with.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Jul 09
Precisely! So why not leave Mother Nature to her work and concentrate on cures for life-threatening diseases, feeding the starving kids of the world, and protecting and nurturing those unwanted children who have been abandoned?
I really can't see that there's a need for artificial sperm when there's already a perfectly good, wholly natural, fertility programme in place. This scares me, and I can't see that many people would actually have a use for it, so why waste money developing it? Just a chalk-up to the scientists involved, at great cost to us in a time of recession and struggle? Ludicrous is what I call it, as well as freaky!
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
9 Jul 09
Anytime scientists achieve something that's even a little bit further towards their goals, we get big headlines. I did read this and noted that some scientists said they had doubts that the sperm-creating scientists had actually done what they said (this might be jealousy) and also that it's decades away from being perfected and used.
That being said, the gals at NOW will really love this, because they can cut the men out of the picture entirely.
But, they aren't really artificial sperm if they are grown from stem cells. The whole idea behind using stem cells for research is that they can grow into many different things. And since they are human stem cells, they will still need humans and presumably male humans that have the DNA that allows for cells becoming sperm.
How scary is this? Well...
It's important to realize two things about scientists:
1. They are very, very intelligent
2. They are nuts
Seriously, there are scientists who turned on the Large Hadron Particle Collider even though some of them weren't sure if it would create a huge black hole that would destroy Earth. Scientists love to know things, so much that just the satisfaction of having been right is enough despite the consequences.
Scientists have always had this urge to create life. Sure, there may be some medical uses for this technology and there may be some scientists who will worry about the ethics, but there will always be one or two rogue scientists who will push the envelope on ethics just to see if they can do whatever it is they are trying to do.
It is very scary, simply because we don't know where this research will lead or how the ultimate uses for it affect society.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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19 Jul 09
Personally, I loathe that scientists work against each other, for starters! It's dangerous enough to mess with nature this way, without somebody else goading you into attempting to make the experiment work!
If they want to discover a fail-safe cure for life threatening diseases, or finding that in reality, birth aids can be dangerous, (aids such as epidurals), then fine! Go ahead and spend the money we donate, but this? This is weird beyond understanding, and surplus to the fertility treatments we already have. We are in recession for goodness' sake... kids are starving, being murdered and abandoned, and we don't need an artificial sperm. I'm sorry, but this whole thing just leaves me cold and scared for my grandchildren and theirs.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
@Darkwing (21583)
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20 Jul 09
Now that would really put the spanner in the works! That men, who are desperately attempting to play God and feed their stupid male egos, should invent something which makes them redundant, is beyond belief! Ha ha ha. They've really shot themselves in the foot this time, haven't they... or maybe just a little above the foot? When will they learn that a woman's brain is twice as powerful as theirs, huh?
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
@suluchewy (32)
• Trinidad And Tobago
9 Jul 09
I guess we can say that man has not given up in trying to be "God" and to be able to create life of "their own". I guess having been given the freedom to choose, to reason, to experiment, to seek to find out...it is only a matter of time when we believe we have conquered the secret of creation.......(there are still arguments)
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Jul 09
I think you could be right there! Forever more, man has been trying to play God, and so far, it's got him nowhere! Neither will this half-baked scheme, I feel, so scientists... "It's time to stop messing with nature, and to admit you're not God!"
Let's be rational here and spend our invested millions wisely. Let's cure those who are suffering... from disease, hunger, abandonment, attacks... there are so many other, more appreciative ways of spending our money!
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution.
@ranranranran (13)
• Philippines
10 Jul 09
that IS spooky. toyally creeped me out. why would they create an "artificial sperm"? and i agree witht teh alien part.. i wouldn't leave the house just so i couldnt bump into a hybrid or something.
@Darkwing (21583)
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20 Jul 09
Alien, was perhaps a strong word, but the only word I could use really, to get my point across. We're messing with nature here, rather than using the money towards discovering something positive, and life-saving. We already have a fertility programme which involves natural ova and sperm, so why are we messing with nature here, so that infertile men can prove that they are MEN! Whoopie doo! They wouldn't get anywhere near me with their artificial sperm, I can tell you!
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
