Neanderthal Cloning Comments Spark Controversy in Scientific Community

Harvard synthetic biologist George Church made headlines last week when, in a Der Spiegel interview, he spoke at length about the possibility of bringing Neanderthals back from extinction. In his book, "Regenesis," Church said an "extremely adventurous female human" could serve as a surrogate mother to a Neanderthal and that the technology is almost ready to make revitalizing the species a reality.

Church quickly backed off his comments to the German magazine. In an interview with the Boston Herald, he said he's "certainly not advocating [creating Neanderthals]." But some of his colleagues wish he'd move off the topic altogether.

Pete Shanks, of the Center for Genetics and Society, which strongly opposes human (and Neanderthal) cloning, wrote a blog post condemning Church's comments to Der Spiegel and says he's also discussed Neanderthal cloning with the New York Times, the Colbert Report, Science, and Bloomberg Businessweek.

In an interview with U.S. News, Shanks said the suggestion scientists would need a "cohort" of Neanderthals is "irresponsible speculation."

"He appears to be advocating for this kind of use...