For the past few years, scientists and researchers have been working their way towards finding the right solution to rescue endangered species, or maybe even bring back some extinct species. One possible way, that has long been tested and experimented within the lab, is the cloning, and selective breeding of organisms. However, using this method to make changes outside of the lab without further testing and research would be an act of recklessness. Therefore, scientists have begun practicing selective breeding amongst many farm animals, in order to first further their knowledge upon genetic inheritance before attempting to use their methods in the ecosystem. An example of their organisms, that were a result of successful breeding is a geep,a hybrid between a goat and a sheep.

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IS IT ETHICAL?

It is no surprise that genetically modified organisms have sparked a large controversy within the community. Although many animal rights activists have rejected the idea of genetic modification and animal experimenting on any organism, there are certain crucial things that can separate these experiments into ethical, and non-ethical. One of these factors include whether or not the execution of these breedings can induce more harm towards other species, and their ecosystem in general. Although the fusion of a goat, and sheep embryo has proven to have very little effect on the environment, this practice is a small step for scientists towards saving countless other endangered species. This makes it clear that the breeding of goats and sheep can be classified as ethical.

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ARE WE PLAYING GOD?

The term "playing God" has been used to a certain extent that the phrase itself requires further evaluation upon what and what is not valid to be labeled with that term. "Playing God" is so much broader than the study and experimentation on organisms for the sole purpose of saving our environment. The judgement upon the ethics of science and its result upon the environment should be interfered with believes of God and religion, for doing so can hinder, and slow down the progression of Science and knowledge, which includes genetic modification. Human activities that have the sole purpose of driving the Earth towards a better future for all its organisms should not be classified as "playing God".

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WHAT IS THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT?

Because these particular type of genetic modification, performed on the goat and sheep has been carried out for a long period of time, scientists have found two possible ways to breed these two organisms. The first method is by extracting the blastomeres (a cell formed by the cleavage of a fertilised ovum) from both species and combining them. This will result in the formation of an embryo with a single zona pellucida (a thick, transparent membrane) in the inner cell mass, which will contain and produce cells from both species.

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The second method is a method where the inner cell mass from one embryo is taken, and placed in the embryo of the other species. In some cases, scientists may choose to remove the inner cell mass of one species, before injecting it the inner cell mass of another species. But for the sake of fusing the two organisms together, scientists choose to combine the two inner cell masses.

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