The runt with no name: China clones pig

Xinhua news reports that China has successfully used somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT, for those of you in the know) to clone a pig.

Shanghaiist's use of the word "runt" belies the fact that this little, shiny, black bundle of joy weighed in at birth (August 5) at 1.130 kg, whereas the average weight for this type of pig is a mere .75 kg. The experiment began more than a year ago at a company located in Hebei Province -- 300 fetuses and one successfully impregnated pig later, Gentiles and infidels around the world are rejoicing. China previously cloned a sheep and now joins the ranks of England, America, Australia, Japan and Korea in having fairly mature cloning technology.

Last week, researchers in Seoul, South Korea announced the birth of a cloned Afghan hound named Snuppy. (Before you conclude intellectual copyright is more sacred than biological copyright, Shanghaiist must inform you that his name is an acronym of Seoul National University Puppy -- gotcha!)

Professor Li Ning, one of the head scientists on the pig cloning team, said that the main goal of cloning pigs was to advance medical research because of the similarity of pig and human organs -- in certain cases, pig organs can be used in transplants in lieu of human organs. Herr Professor was good enough to reiterate his support for the ban on human cloning, saying that human clones would endanger the stability and happiness of the human family! Shanghaiist recalls asking, long ago, why our parents didn't have another child. Judging from the expression on their faces, one might conclude that the good professor has a point.