Now this is scary. What is next for the world?

Miranda Achu, Southfield , Michigan

Do you think you would feel the same way if a member of your family had one of the terrible diseases these scientist's are trying to cure? I hope you people,who go on about right's never have to suffer the pain,agony,financial worry and absolute heartbreak,that these awful diseases leave on family's. You all need to get real and see the bigger picture.

Sean Greham, isle of man,

It is about time we finally woke up and see the potential of our future. This is a great start to moving forward to providing cures and therapys to some of the more iInsidious deseases.

Thanks Drs. Minger and Armstrong for pursuing this most needed research, your commitment and ethics are well known to the scientific community.

Stan, Melville, NY

So when does human life begin? Doesn't it need those first few cells that appear to be so disposable if you are pro science doing what it likes? What about adult stem cells or umbilical cord stem cells, at least there is evidence that this research has some benefits for the human race. All this frankinstein stuff frightens the hell out of me. I am so fortunate not to be a sufferer of Parkinsons disease so far but I wouldn't want to be the guinea pig sufferer they tried out all this human/animal research out on.

Hermione Laycock, South Croydon, Surrey

I take exception to derisive nick names for Jews and Christians who choose to follow a book that has been, in numerous cases, proven to be archaeologically and scientifically highly accurate. A huge percentage of "believers" in the Scriptures have made exceptional contributions to the world in every field, so to assume that those of us who believe God has something to say to science are "stupid" is, well, stupid. Before you castigate us,why don't you take an honest look at the book which I am guessing you have never read and find out if the God who says He is the Creator, is. He really will answer you. I don't think we can "play God." but I do think we can experience some calamitous consequences when we violate basic tenets He has set for earth's operation. Certain mixtures create dangerous results. I do believe there are cures for these diseases, natural and supernatural. Let's choose those with the least side effects and not, in our impatience, open Pandora's Box. (Greek Mythology)

Irene N., Princeton Junction, USA

i was a embryo once.looks like anything goes in england.god help you.

cliff stryker, palm beach, palm beach

This debate need not take place; it cannot be said that any embryo, let alone this hybrid, is a human being. If the embyro is killed before 14 days, and thus the development of the primitive streak, the spinal chord, does not occur, then there is no problem as to the ethicality of this procedure. Before the primitive streak, and right up till 14 days, the embyro has the potential to split into identical twins, or triplets or whatever number of embryos occurs. In this way, because there is the very real potential for this single object to turn into more than one adult it cannot be said that, before this tipping point, that this thing is a human being with singular and unique worth; two objects cannot occupy the same space. Thus, two human beings cannot occupy the same space unless they're identical. I think looking at identical twins should tell you they're not identical in exact identity. Therefore, it cannot be said this is a person or human being. It is not and cannot be so defined.

Alex, WInchester,

How is making hybrids be playing God? Does God make hybrids? Is breeding horses and donkeys to make mules playing God? According to the Bible God taught the likes of Adam, Moses, Abraham, David. We teach our children, (we have children) is that playing God? If Jesus is the King of Kings, then are all heads of state playing God? The other day I said "Let there be light!" And flicked a switch, was I playing God? If, ultimately, God is infinite and omnipotent, is not everything we do a kind of mimicry of God?

Just some thoughts. Hybrids? Why not? When you consider some of the crap that gets carried out (often in God's name!) I don't see that a handful of hybrid cells for research and medical purpose is so bad a thing.

Rhys Kelly, Aberystwyth,

Brilliant,

I love some of the comments from the Christians. Should we eat a half human, half cow mix? Will this end up like the X-men? The morality of "sucking" the brains out of a baby? If we crossed a human with a kangaroo would it be allowed to enter the high jump at the Olympics? (that last one was mine).

It shows what a bewildering lack of understanding these people have of science and the world around them. Rather than simply responding with some knee-jerk reaction based some ill-conceived suspicion of any progress it would be good if they could open their minds just once.

Rev. Meagher, what is morally offensive is to dismiss or attack any learning, enlightenment and good for your fellow man simply because you don't understand it or it doesn't conform to your short-sighted vision of the world founded on some rather unpleasant Bronze Age myths.

Barry, Newbury, Berks

Mary from Washington asks "Do you think western cultures will begin eating these human-cow hydrids?"

No, they will not. It is illegal to keep these embryos beyond 14 days' development.

Tina, South Wales, UK

We have always "Played God" when a surgeon cuts out a heart and transplants another in order to keep smeone alive who would have otherwise died... what's the difference? That is playing God also. As always whingers have only one track minds.

T Skitmore, London, London

Why would anyone have to obtain a "license" to underake this kind of research??!!

If I wanted to experiment in a particular field, I would not recognize any government's claimed authority to regulate science. That's ridiculous and completely unscientfic.

Outside of providing funding, no legislature or goverment has the right to interfer in or regulate research.

Scott, Durham, NC, USA

In itself it is morally offensive - seeking to create "sort of human beings" (small as they may be) without any personal rights that we are obligated to respect or protect, so that we may use them for "spair parts" to treat larger and more powerful "adult" human beings. It is also a slippery slope. When abortion was legalized it was then said to be for rare occassions. Those "rae occassions" turned in to 47 millon, including the most obviously barbaric practice of partly delivering a viable baby only to suck it's brains out.

Rev. Joseph Meagher, Linden, USA / NJ

I shudder when I hear the question "are we playing god?" as though staying in the dark ages for not wanting to assume the responsibilities of an imaginary being is better than curing real diseases in the here and now. It is vital that we not let science be derailed or curtailed by the squeamishness of a religious minority.

Anna, Cambridge,

Excellent to see that Britain is at the sharp end of this very promising technique, opening up the possibility to ease suffering for many, while not allowing dogmatic ignorance to get in the way of a common sense evaluation.

Paul Winter, Brigg, UK

Do you think western cultures will begin eating these human-cow hydrids? Is there a moral conflict here; if not for eating, how about killing a half human being? There are some African and Indonesian cultures that practice human cannibalization. Often these cultures develop Kuru, a prion disease which causes insanity and a fatal mad cow like syndrome. Maybe it's me, but I think we are retrogressing in human intelligence on a medical and magnified scale.

Mary, Washington, USA

Could someone pass this along to King's College or University of Edinburgh?

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is an autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the ataxin-7 gene. In humans, SCA7 is characterized by marked anticipation due to intergenerational repeat instability with a bias toward expansion, and is thus regarded as the "most" unstable of the polyglutamine diseases.

Alan Tindal is a boy of 9 years and he has been diagnosed with Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7. This is a rare genetic disease that causes the cerebellum to atrophy and it is a progressive disease that leads to death. Alan is quickly loosing his motor skill and his sight. The diagnosis was given almost a year ago. They are treating Alan with physical therapy and a few vitamins. These treatments help with the effects of the disease and are not meant to be cures.

Lynn Theisen, Houston, TX, USA

This is a welcome scientific development. It could bring cures for a variety of diseases including Parkinsons, Alzheimers and Motor Neurone Disease.
These embryos will legally have to be destroyed after 14 days. An early embryo is a ball of cells with no brain or nervous system. 14 days is before the "primitive streak" appears (which eventually develops into the embryonic neural system). By contrast, a person suffering from a disease is a sentient person and thus takes priority over early embryos.
It will also be illegal to implant these embryos into a woman, so there will be no chance of any strange species developing! And of course, if any scientist really wanted to make Frankenstein animals I don't suppose they would take notice of the law anyway?
The most Christian response to this situation (and most others) is that which produces the least human suffering. In this instance, the correct way forward could well be to use this research to find cures for living human beings.

Tina, South Wales, UK

This has got to be one of the worst decisions made to date. Its the thin end of the wedge. No longer are there any boundaries that we are not prepared to cross in the name of research and science. The end is supposed to justify the means but it only does that if we swich off our conscience. Legitimate if you think that human beings are no more than intelligent animals. If thats all we are then what right do we have to destroy animal life for the sake of our 'intelligence'?

Mark Rowthorn, Northampton, England

This development is unethical and science would be the worse for embarking on such a misadventure.

To create and experiment on hybrids would be a distortion on creation itself. It is morally unwise to create cross hybrids as this would only lead to hybrid research to the defence sector industries over the next hundred years.

Creation of artificial hybrids would have no purpose unless for the defence industries and that is why it is unethical as well as immoral.

The Director, LONDON, England

I read that 13 cow genes will be left in the egg as oposed to 25,000 human genes- what if one of them coded for udders?

Tom Dowman, London, UK

I JUST WANT BE CURED OF PARKINSON'S. DON'T CARE HOW IT IS DONE , JUST NEED THE CURE.

tommy moody, NEW ORLEANS, U.S.A. / LOUISIANA

Good good, Britain is at the forefront of Scientific research and should remain so, equally we are not in the grasp of the neo-con Christians in America who pretty much hate everything that doesn't agree with or is in the bible.

Robert, London,

I think it's great that someone finally is "morphing" human and animal DNA. I mean, heck, we could start a new species here!

John Catastrio, St. Louis, MO

this is great. this is going to end up like the xmen. different people will be treated like animals, and like lab experiments, when "99.9%" human. so anything less than 100% human is inferior?

Nicholas Rudolph, Kittery, Maine, USA