Blood could generate body repair kit
Blood cells can be swiftly transformed into a stem-cell like state, claim researchers about to start human trials - impossible, say experts
26 Nov 03

Europe backs embryonic stem cell research
In a "highly charged and emotional" vote, the European Parliament supports public funding of the controversial work
19 Nov 03

UN postpones global human cloning ban
A failure to agree over cloning for medical research means no worldwide ban on creating cloned babies is now possible before 2005
7 Nov 03

UN says food from cloned animals is safe
Meat and milk originating from cloned animals is likely to be safe for human consumption, says a preliminary report
31 Oct 03

Plan to make human cloning safe set out
The ambitious program is not aimed at cloning babies, but ensuring the safety of genetically-matched tissue transplants
31 Oct 03

Controversial three-parent pregnancy revealed
The method, which also uses a step needed for cloning, aims to treat infertility - but criticism forces the researchers to defend their work
14 Oct 03

Ban cloning babies, demand world's top scientists
More than 60 of the world's leading academics have joined forces in a bid to outlaw the cloning of human babies
22 Sep 03

First human clone embryo ready for implantation
The first cloned human embryo is ready to be implanted into a surrogate mother, claims a controversial US fertility expert
15 Sep 03

Human-rabbit embryos intensify stem cell debate
The work, aimed at finding a new source of the promising cells, has been both hailed as a breakthrough and criticised
15 Aug 03

World's first cloned horse is born
The foal could open the gates to recreating racecourse winners, but was only the first success from over 800 cloned embryos
6 Aug 03

Clones contain hidden DNA damage
Genes disrupted when stem cells are cultured in the lab might explain why cloned animals grown from them die so often, or are grossly overlarge.
30 Jul 03

Stem cells enable paralysed rats to walk
The findings suggest embryonic stem cells could have a valuable role to play in treating spinal injuries
3 Jul 03

Amniotic fluid may hold 'ethical' stem cells
Cells taken from the sac protecting the fetus in the womb show key characteristics of primitive stem cells, say researchers
30 Jun 03

Dolly lab to create 'virgin birth' embryos
The researchers who created Dolly the sheep are granted the first UK licence to create human embryos for stem cell research
10 Jun 03

Greater potential of adult stem cells revealed
A claim that many supposedly different kinds of adult stem cells are in fact the same could have enormous implications
17 May 03

Stem cells can become 'normal sperm'
Researchers are very close to creating sperm outside of the body for the first time, New Scientist has learned - the implications could be immense
7 May 03

Embryonic stem cells turned into eggs
The remarkable feat in mouse cells is likely also to work in humans, suggesting enormous implications for infertility and cloning
1 May 03

'Virgin birth' method promises ethical stem cells
Researchers are on the brink of obtaining human embryonic stem cells in a way that does not involve the destruction of viable embryos
28 Apr 03

Baby teeth revealed as source of stem cells
The cells appear more versatile than adult stem cells, but avoid the controversy of embryonic stem cells
21 Apr 03

Adult stem cells tackle multiple sclerosis
The cells sought out and repaired damaged nerves in mice - primate experiments are now underway
16 Apr 03

Baby doctor reveals cloned human embryo
Controversial scientist Panayiotis Zavos publishes a report and picture of "the first human cloned embryo for reproductive purposes"
9 Apr 03

Ban on UK "designer baby" reversed
With time running out for their sick son, the couple can once again attempt to create a tissue-matched sibling to save his life
8 Apr 03

Hidden dragon
American biotech has nothing to fear from China's clones
16 Mar 02

Don't mention the 'c' word
Even as news of "cc" the kitten sped around the world, three prominent biologists were trying to eradicate the word "clone" from everyday speech
23 Feb 02

Brave new medicine
Creating human clones for no good reason is wrong
1 Dec 01

Not now, Dr Miracle
Cloned babies are a bad idea when the science is still in its infancy
17 Mar 01

The way ahead
Is it time to stop arguing and start cloning?
29 Jan 00

Blair's blunder
It can't be much fun being a member of an expert committee...
3 Jul 99

How not to win friends
Culturally speaking, which is more valuable - pickling a sheep or cloning one?
12 Sep 98

A force of nature?
Human need could prove too much for any ban on cloning
17 Jan 98

Fasten your seatbelts...
A California woman who died a year ago will become a mother 'from beyond the grave'
6 Dec 97

The point of no return
The origins of Dolly, now the most famous sheep in the world, are still hard to believe
1 Mar 97