DOLLY’S “DAD” DEFENDED BY COLLEAGUES
After a blast of criticism following reports in the British press that he was not the main figure in cloning Dolly the sheep, Professor Ian Wilmut as been defended by fellow scientists. “I have no reason to think Wilmut did anything wrong,” Dr Richard Henderson, of the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge told The Scientist. And German scientist Eckhard Wolf, of the University of Munich, noted that first authors do not have to be directly involved in a project. “If the basis of the research was his idea, then there is no reason why he should not be first author,” he said. Also, contrary to a report in The Scotsman newspaper, the Frankfurt-based Paul Ehrlich Foundation has denied that it intends to strip Wilmut of a prestigious prize.
Naturally, there were other scientists who still feel that Wilmut should not have taken the lion’s share of the credit for the landmark experiment. “Yes, this is common practice in scientific publishing,” said prominent embryonic stem cell scientist Miodrag Stojkovic. “But, in my opinion, it is not fair practice.”
- How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
- House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
- Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021
More Stories
A first in France: a trans mum and a trans dad
Trigger warning: if you are easily confused by gender pronouns, this story from France may cause heart palpitations. February 19...
Nigerian power couple convicted in London over organ trafficking plot
In May last year, a young Nigerian man stumbled into a police station into the English town of Staines, in...
Cease and desist: Dutch sperm donor who has fathered 550 children is being sued
A Dutch woman and a foundation for children of sperm donors are suing a Dutch man for fathering too many...
Should intractable mental illness make you eligible for euthanasia?
Canada is in the middle of a vigorous debate about whether incurable mental illness is grounds for Medical Assistance in...
Belgium to permit multiple gender ID changes
Belgium will permit people to change their gender identity as often as they want. The Minister of Justice, Vincent Van...
Nature’s foray into politics may have backfired
In the 2020 election, a swag of high-profile science journals, including Nature, Science, The Lancet, and the New England Journal...