Who Is Anti-Science Now?

As you know by now, there was a huge embryonic stem cell find today. Scientists announced today that they have successfully reprogrammed adult stem cells back to an embryonic-like state. The Journal Nature says today that "Shinya Yamanaka of the University of Kyoto in Japan reported that his team had created pluripotent cells from human skin cells and, on the same day, a team of researchers led by James Thomson at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, reported the same." Pluripotent cells are stem cells like embryonic stem cells which are believed to be able to become any kind of cell.

Bioethicist Wesley Smith says that " researchers reverted human connective tissue cells back to an embryonic- stem-cell-like state - and then differentiated them into all three of the body's major tissue types. If this work pans out, there will be no need to create human cloned embryos for use in embryonic-stem-cell therapies."

This means that embryonic stem cell researchers and supporters may have a supply of embryonic stem cells to work with and according to Yamanaka, "Any scientist with basic technology in molecular and cell biology can do reprogramming." 

Embryonic stem cell supporters and researchers said we were anti-science, anti-patient, anti-intellectual boobs who let our beliefs get in the way of science.  But, Yamanaka and Thompson's work was unbelievable and wasn't where scientists were looking and saying the best hope was!  Now that they have their supply of embryonic stem cells, and ones that are easier to procure than by cloning (nuclear transfer) and probably have more genetic compatibility with the donor, we'll see if there is something more driving cloning for embryonic stem cells or if there's something ideological going on like undermining Christianity or protecting abortion.  If we can cannibalize embryos for research, how can we oppose abortion? 

We'll see how the other side responds to success.  Now they have a couple sources.  They have this regression for embryonic stem cells, amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood.  Their reactions will tell us a lot about them and what they have been saying the last several years.