Researchers in the United Kingdom announced yesterday that they had successfully created (mostly) human clonal embryos using animal eggs. These hybrid embryos, intended for stem cell research, were able to divide to thirty-two cells over three days. That's not quite enough to be able to extract stem cells.

It's discouraging enough that this development was announced via a press release, and not a peer-reviewed publication, particularly so soon after an editorial in Nature decrying haste to publication in stem cell science. The announcement also comes just as the contentious Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is reaching the UK Parliament, with this very human-animal hybrid cloning process one of the most controversial platforms.

One need not be that cynical to believe that these researchers are trying to change the "facts on the ground" for the upcoming debate.

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