Welcome to Life Noggin!

歡迎來到 Life Noggin

If you didn't already know, Ronbus is my best friend.

如果你還不知道的話，Ronbus 是我最好的朋友

He's great, he's really good at soccer for some reason even though he's never played,

他真的很棒，不知道為甚麼，即使他沒玩過足球，他卻十分擅長這項運動

and I want more friends just like him...

而我多希望能有更多像他一樣的朋友....

Exactly like him.

和他完全一樣的朋友

It's easy to clone in my world.

在我的世界裡，複製是一件簡單的事

My animator can just copy and paste, and voila, I've got 20 best friends.

只要我的動畫師複製貼上，你看！我就有二十個最好的朋友了

I am gonna need way more guacamole now.

我想我需要更多的酪梨沙拉醬了

But what if you wanted to clone your best friend or even yourself?

但，如果你想要複製你最好的朋友，甚至是你自己呢？

How would that even work?

這又要如何辦到呢？

Cloning is the process of producing a genetically identical copy of a living organism.

(基因) 複製是生產基因相同生物的過程

It can be done on many scales, from replicating basic DNA to a complete genetic copy of a

複製可以在多個規模上完成，從複製最基本的基因，到完成一個

living thing.

生物的基因副本

Scientists have cloned a bunch of animals in the last 100 years, most notably, the infamous

科學家在過去一百多年來已經複製了許多動物，最為人所知的，就是 1996 年那臭名昭彰的

Dolly the Sheep in 1996.

桃莉羊

Now, we've got cloned cows, horses, cats, and dogs running around and just recently,

現今，我們已經有了複製乳牛，馬，貓和狗，而就在最近

two cloned monkeys joined the party.

兩隻複製猴子也加入了行列

This party smells really bad guys... if we could just clean some stuff up a bit?

這群動物實在不怎麼好聞...我們是不是可以先把現場清理一下呢？

If we can clone primates just like monkeys, can we do it with humans?

如果我們可以複製像猴子這樣的靈長類動物，那麼我們是不是也可以複製人類呢？

The most successful and well-known method of cloning full living things is Somatic Cell

最成功且為人稱道，能複製完整生物體的複製方法就是

Nuclear Transfer.

體細胞核移植

Scientists take an ovum from a female of the species they're cloning and remove all the

科學家從他們要複製的雌性生物體中取出卵子

DNA from inside.

並且移除卵子內所有的DNA (脫氧核糖核酸)

Then, they take the nucleus of a somatic cell, like a skin cell, from the thing they want

接著，他們取出體細胞核，就像由皮膚細胞取出它們想複製的基因一般，然後

to clone and insert it into the egg.

將其植入卵子中

The egg is then implanted into a surrogate, who carries the egg until it's born.

之後受精卵會被植入代理孕母體中，直到該複製生物出生

Now that scientists have cloned a non-human primate, we're closer than we've ever

既然科學家已經成功複製非人之靈長類，我們

been to cloning a person, but there's still a ways to go.

與複製人前所未有地靠近，但仍有一段距離

The success rate for these monkeys was super low, as it often is with cloning.

成功複製猴子的機率是非常低的

The scientists started out with 127 eggs and only ended up with 2 monkeys, meaning their

科學家提到在一百二十七個受精卵中僅產出兩隻猴子，這也代表著

success rate was only 1.6%.

成功率僅有百分之一點六

One of the biggest struggles with cloning primates has to do with spindle proteins.

其中，最大的問題在於複製靈長類時牽涉紡錘體蛋白

They're crucial in cell division and development, and, in humans, they reside in the nucleus

它們對於細胞分裂與成長十分重要，而且就人體來說，紡錘體蛋白就位在

of an egg.

受精卵的細胞核中

So, when the nucleus is removed to make room for the new DNA, those spindle proteins are

因此，為了為新的 DNA 製造更多空間而移除細胞核時，紡錘體蛋白

removed too, making embryonic development that much harder.

也同時會被移除，使得胚胎發展更加困難

Say we found solutions to biological issues like this, navigated our way through the complex

假設我們找到了能解決上述盲點的方法，也成功突破複雜的

ethical implications, and successfully cloned a human,

倫理議題，最終能成功複製人類

would your clone be just like you?

你會想要複製一個和你一模一樣的人嗎？

If you're 5' 10" with brown hair and blue eyes, maybe your name is Steve, who knows?

如果你的身高五呎十吋，有著棕髮與藍眼睛，也或許你的名字叫做 Steve，誰知道呢？

You'd expect your clone to look the same, right?

你也預期你的複製人會和你長得一模一樣，對吧？

Isn't that what cloning is?

這不就是所謂的複製嗎？

Well you may be surprised to learn that your clone could look completely different!

你或許會感到驚訝，因為你的複製人可能和你長得完全不同！

Your appearance is based on genes, yes, but it also depends on the fetal environment you

你的長相是根源於基因，沒錯；但這也和你生長的胚胎環境

grow in and which genes are turned off or on.

以及甚麼基因開關被關上或開啟息息相關

Your clone could also be very unhealthy.

你的複製人也可能十分不健康

Many cloned animals suffer from defected brains, hearts, and livers, and immune system problems.

許多複製動物均有大腦，心臟與肝臟的缺陷，甚至是免疫系統問題

In lots of clones, the tips of their chromosomes shrink quicker, meaning cellular aging happens

在許多複製生物中，染色體頂端萎縮得特別快，意味著細胞老化的速度

faster than normal too.

比起正常的生物還要更快

So your clone could be really sick and die prematurely.

所以你的複製人很可能因為疾病而早逝

Plus, your clone could have a completely different personality than you do!

此外，你的複製人可能和你擁有完全不同的人格！

While your personality is based on some genetics, it's also formed through experiences and

雖然你的個性部分是與基因相關，個性也會隨著經驗

upbringing.

與家庭教養而養成

Just because Ronbus is super friendly, motivated, and likes puzzles, doesn't mean his clone

僅因為 Ronbus 人超級和善、很有目標、喜歡拼拼圖，這並不代表

would.

他的複製人就一定如此

The Ronbus clone could be mean, dishonest, and hate puppies!

Ronbus 的複製人可能很壞心眼，不誠實，同時很討厭小狗！

So unless your clone had the exact same development and experiences you did, it really wouldn't

所以，除非你的複製人和你有完全一樣的成長環境與經驗，他真的

be you.

並不會和你成為一模一樣的人

With all this being said, would you wanna clone yourself still?

有了這些認識，你還會想要複製你自己嗎？

Let us know in the comment section below.

在留言區留個言和我們分享吧！

Check out the video we did on "What would happen if we brought extincted animals back to life?"

去看看「如果讓已滅絕動復活會怎麼樣？」這支影片

and that's because in order to bring these animals back scientist need bits of their

為了要讓這些動物 (恐龍) 重生，科學家需要一些被保存下來的

genetic material that have been salvaged, and sadly DNA from dinosaurs hasn't survived

基因片段，而可惜的是恐龍的 DNA 存活得不夠久

long enough to be used here.

因而無法被用在複製上

As always, my name is Blocko, this has been Life Noggin, don't forget to keep on thinking!

就像平常一樣，我的名字是 Blocko，這是 Life Noggin，不要忘了持續地思考喔！