"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 proliferate, will divide.... Progress."

In the dystopian 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 using sperm or an egg - a breakthrough that has the potential to revolutionise fertility treatment and medical research.

Yet the development has also raised ethical concerns, with some people arguing that it is morally wrong to create a human embryo in a lab.

The replica embryos were created by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. They used stem cellsUnspecialised cells that have the ability to develop into different types of cell. to create a ball of cells that resembles a human embryo in the early stages of development. The embryos are not yet capable of implanting in the womb and developing into a baby, but the researchers say they could be used to study the early stages of human development and to develop new treatments for infertility and genetic diseases.

The creation of replica embryos has been met with mixed reactions. Some people believe that it is a major breakthrough that could help to save lives. Others are concerned about the ethical implications of creating human embryos in a lab.

One of the main ethical concerns is that creating replica embryos could lead to the commodificationTurn something into a product to sell. of human life. If embryos can be created in a lab, then they could be bought and sold, like any other product. This could lead to the exploitation of women and the creation of "designer babies" - or some even fear, as was the case in Brave New World, human cloning.

Another ethical concern is that creating replica embryos could blur the lines between what is considered human and what is not. If an embryo can be created in a lab, then is it really a human being? Some people believe that embryos have a right to life, regardless of how they are created.

It raises a key question: when does life begin? One expert, Princeton UniversityA well-known Ivy League university in the USA. professor Robert P George, points out that: "Although not all fertilisation events lead to an adult, we were all once embryos." "Embryos", he goes on to say, "should not be used as means to an end, even good ends such as cures for diseases or to save another human life."

Others, such as American philosopher Michael Sandel, argue that there is no "biologically determined moment when such a life acquires the moral status of a person". Meanwhile, scientists such as Dr Peter Rugg-Gunn, who studies embryonic development at the Babraham Institute near Cambridge, point out that "this embryo model would not be able to develop if transferred into a womb, because it bypasses the stage needed to attach to the womb lining".

The ethical debate over replica embryos is likely to continue for many years to come. There are no easy answers. In the UK, researchers are only allowed to develop embryos for 14 days. But with the possible benefits including the potential to understand the causes of miscarriage and genetic disease, test the impacts of medicines and create treatments for ill adults, some are now asking: Are these rules too strict? Or necessary to stop an ethical nightmare?

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.