From: Chris Hibbert (chris@pancrit.org)
Date: Mon Feb 18 2002 - 22:23:13 MST
Harvey Newstrom wrote:
> I don't know about behavior, but more disturbingly, the cloned cat does not
> look like the mother. It has totally different coloring. The scientists
> believe that non-genetic factors in the womb cause these colorations. But
> if cloned pets do not even look similar to the originals, I doubt most pet
> owners would be interested.
They do look similar. As similar as two zebras or two calico cats ever look.
There's a big difference between the similarity you expect between twin
dalmatians and twin collies. Most of the appearance of some animals is in
their genes. with others, the pattern is programmed, but the particulars are
an emergent property. If you want the clone to look exactly like the
original, better start with a breed where the appearance doesn't vary much
from individual to individual.
Human twins don't have identical fingerprints. It's the same principle.
Chris
--
Currently reading: Matthew Josephson, "The Robber Barons"
Donald Kingsbury, "Psychohistorical Crisis"
Harold McGee, "On Food and Cooking"
Chris Hibbert
http://discuss.foresight.org/~hibbert
chris@pancrit.org
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