"One egg, one embryoA fertilised egg that is developing into a foetus., one adult - normality. But a bokanovskifiedIn the novel Brave New World, the Bokanovsky process is a method of human reproduction. Fertilised eggs are split into identical copies to create a large, identical workforce. egg will bud, will proliferateIncrease in number. In botany it refers to developing buds or shoots, and in biology to cellular division., will divide.... Progress."

In the dystopianRelating to an imagined society where there is great suffering or injustice.  world of Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World, citizens are engineered through artificial wombs. For a long time this seemed like simply science fiction. But scientists have now created a replica embryo without sperm or an egg; a breakthrough that has the potential to revolutionise fertilityThe ability to have a child. treatment and medical research. But the development has also raised ethical concerns, with some people arguing that it is morally wrong to create a human embryo in a lab.

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel made these replica embryos by using stem cellsUnspecialised cells that have the ability to develop into different types of cell. to create a group of cells that looks like a human embryo in its early stages. These embryos cannot develop into a baby yet, but they could help us study how humans develop and find new ways to treat infertilityWhen a couple are unable to have children. and genetic diseasesA disease caused by a mutation, or change, in somebody's DNA. Genetic diseases are diseases people are born with. .

People have mixed feelings about this discovery. Some think it is amazing and could save lives. Others worry about the ethics of making human embryos in a lab.

One big concern is that making replica embryos might turn human life into something like a product. If we can make embryos in a lab, could they be bought and sold? Some fear that if this research is continued, it could lead to problems such as exploiting women, creating "designer babies" or even human cloningCreating an exact copy. , like in Brave New World.

Another worry is that making replica embryos might make it hard to tell what is really human. If we can create embryos in a lab, are they the same as naturally made ones? Some say embryos have a right to life no matter how they are made. This raises the question: when does life actually start? One expert, professor Robert P George from Princeton UniversityA well-known Ivy League university in the USA., believes that because all of us were once embryos, they should not be treated as tools to reach a goal, even if that goal is curing diseases or saving lives.

On the other hand, some argue that there is no clear moment when an embryo becomes a person. Scientists like Dr Peter Rugg-Gunn explain that these lab-made embryos cannot develop in a womb because they skip a step needed to attach to the womb lining.

The debate over replica embryos and ethics will probably keep going for a long time. In the UK, researchers can only work on embryos for 14 days. But with the potential to understand miscarriages, genetic diseases, test medicines and help sick adults, some are wondering if these rules are too strict - or if they are necessary to prevent ethical problems.

Yes: Creating replica embryos could lead to the commodification of human life, blur the lines between what is considered human and what is not and lead to the development of new technologies that could be used for unethical purposes.

No: Creating replica embryos could be used to develop new treatments for infertility and genetic diseases. It could also provide a way for couples who are unable to conceive naturally to have a child.

Or... The morality of creating replica embryos is a complex issue where the potential benefits and risks should be weighed alongside the ethical implications of creating replica embryos and the legal and regulatory requirements.