A woman is driving her car when she has a terrible crash. It is so bad that her head comes clean off. When an ambulanceA vehicle that takes medics to unwell or injured people and brings them to hospital. arrives, doctors pick her head up and rush to the nearest hospital. In a long operationCamac Energy had hired a Chinese company to carry out a seismic survey through the ancient forest, which is home to at least ten endangered species. It would have involved laying hundreds of explosive charges every 60m (200ft) to send shockwaves up to 4km underground. But the elephants there communicate by sending subsonic vibrations through the ground., her head is attached to a healthy body. The next day, she wakes up as a new person.

This sounds like science fictionStories based on major scientific or technological changes. . But some doctors think it could soon be a real possibility.

As long ago as 1972, one American surgeonSomebody who carries out operations on unwell people. managed to attach the head of a monkey to the body of another. The creature was able to hear, smell and see, and even tried to bite one of the researchers, but died eight days later.

Now another surgeon, Sergio Canavero, says it will soon be possible to take the head from a sick person's body and attach it to the body of someone else. He has already carried out transplantsWhen a part of one individual's body is given to another in surgery. on dogs, monkeys and dead human bodies.

Some people think these operations are a very bad idea. Many think they are simply unethicalNot morally right. , and in many countries, they would not be allowed to take place. But Canavero has carried on with his experimentsTests carried out, often by scientists, to find out whether an idea is true. in ChinaA country in East Asia, home to 1.4 billion people., which has less strictHarsh and believing that rules must be followed exactly. standards.

The idea raises many questions. One is whether the operation could really work on humans. It involves cutting the spinal cordThe bundle of nerves enclosed in the spine, connecting parts of the body to the brain. , but today there is no way to connect them back up. So the patientSomebody being treated by a doctor. would not be able to move their new body. Others think they might be in constantNever stopping. pain.

Even if the operation worked, the patient might face a crisis about who they really are: what would it feel like to have someone else's body?

But are they really a good idea?

Yes! The possible problems are worth it to give someone a new chance at life. It would be amazing if a young person with terrible disabilities could have a new body.

No! It would probably only be the rich and powerful who would be able to have head transplants. If they could keep getting younger and younger bodies, they could rule over the world forever.