A process that has been researched and debated for decades, and for a while the
             subject of science fiction novels, magazines, and television shows, is today a practical
             reality. News of successful cloning of an adult sheep generated an outpouring of
             ethical concerns in 1997. These concerns were not about Dolly, the famous sheep, nor
             even about the impact cloning may have on the animal breeding industry, but rather
             about the possibility of cloning humans. Recently, the cloning of the first human
             embryo has made people acknowledge the fact that human cloning is undeniably
             possible. But is society ready for this technology? Before it is announced that a
             person has cloned the first human being actions should be taken to decided where our
             civilization stands on this issue. Continuing stem cell research will provide many
             beneficial advancements in medical technology; however bans should be placed on
             the continuation of research involved in the cloning of human embryos.
             As early as 1952, scientists were able to clone certain species of animals, but
             they were limited to producing the organism only in its embryonic stage. Ten years
             later, John Gurdon successfully transferred a nucleus from frog cell to frog egg,
             resulting in embryos that developed into tadpoles. Frogs were followed by two
             decades of little progress, until Ian Wilmut and his colleagues historic achievement of
             creating the first cloned adult mammal (Masci 12). Although it took twenty-nine
             embryos in surrogate ewes to produce only one healthy ewe, this achievement gave
             hopes of human cloning. Wilmut, however, believes that human cloning should be
             banned, because "cloning a human will offer few if any benefits to science... while
             requiring unacceptable ethical and medical risksâ€" (Masci 2). Others who share his
             beliefs think that the techniques should be perfected before experimenting with
             human life. To clo...