What’s the name of the most famous sheep in the world? Dolly, of course!
Dolly was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. She was born in 1996. Dolly was the only live lamb from 277 eggs used in cloning.
Before Dolly, the first animals to be cloned were frogs in the 1950s.
In 2003, Dolly was suffering from severe osteoarthritis, which is uncommon in a six-year-old sheep. Her arthritis raised questions about the success of cloning but is now thought to have been an effect of her unusual indoor lifestyle.
Dolly’s birth showed that cells can be reprogrammed. This was an important step for stem cell research, which can be used for creating organs for transplant that your body wouldn’t reject.
Dolly was donated to National Museums Scotland and has been on display since 2003.
What are your thoughts on cloning?
