This seems to be the right place. If there are any sciencey type people about, I was wondering about a few things. This sn't really research as such, as i doubt i'll write my story for ages, but it's something that's been puzzling me for a while. Basically, memoriese are some kind of pattern of eletrical signals in the brain, right? (that;s what i assume anyway, but i have no idea) So, if someone is cloned, would those patterns be copied too? In other words, would a clone have the memories of the original? I am very sorry if i have, in all likelihood, gotten loads of scientific things wrong here, but i just needed the question answering and figured someone on here would know!
No. Cloning is DNA. It isn't yet clear what memory is, but (for humans, at least) there is no genetic memory as such. The closest thing is, arguably, instinct, but no direct memories are carried by the cloning process. If you want a more detailed explanation, just say. I'm trying to keep it simple at the moment, and the basic answer is no
Ahh yeah.. Sorry I'm well stupid, I forgot it was from DNA... Thanks for your answer though. I'm jsut busy pondering what it'll be like when they clone humans. Coz you know they will, even if it's in secret...
Basically, clones would behave like identical twins who are separated at birth: Having the same genetic structure, they will have similar tendencies and more basal habits, but "learned behavior" will be different, depending upon the situation, and of course they'll be a whole seperate person.
yup!... what they said... however, you are a writer and thus a creator of any world/process your little heart desires, so if you want to 'discover' some way of transferring memory to the clone, just go ahead and do it! you'll see here, what's possible: http://saysmom.com/maia/content.asp?Writing=161
There are lots of good themes you can explore with a cloning story--nature versus nurture, for instance. I guess just figure out what you're trying to get across with your story, and create a system of cloning that serves that purpose.
If you want an exact duplicate of a person rather than just an organ tree then there would need to be some sort of machine or process that is able to copy or store the electrical signals that make up the memories. I love sci-fi. For a fun/action movie version check out The 6th Day.
Something else to consider. While they would have the same DNA and be identical twins, due to differences in the womb, different diets for the womb mothers, and differences in the hormones of the womb mothers (unless they are both brought to term in specially calibrated machines), they will only look like brothers. Not identical. Differences in diets and hormones, can and will affect height, weight, colouring (to a limited degree), and several other things. So you would definitely see a family resemblance, but they are unlikely to be completely identical.
I know in the Dune books gholas, which were pretty much clones, had the memories of their originals locked inside and could be 'acessed'. But then, the Dune books were pretty much on the edge of science. If you're going to do your basic clone, read up on clones in general (they tend to die young because of complications), and possibly on identical twins (my sister and I are still trying to figure out which one's the original and which is the clone/organ tree).
Not using present cloning methods, no. Present cloning methods require the clone to be born and grow up just like any other individual. They don't just step out of a chamber fully formed. To ask MumblingSage a question: Do you think that's wise? Are you sure that finding out which of you is the 'original' won't change how each of you views the other?
why should it matter?... and an egg splitting in two, which is what creates identical twins doesn't really have a 'better half' anyway...
Human nature. One thing is always better or worse than another. It's stupid, but then again, so (for the most part) is human nature .
Addressing the organ tree comment, I want to say that I'm looking at this from a science fiction point of view. If a society is able to clone fully formed and matured individuals the result would not be a Xerox of the person they would merely share the DNA. It is a possibility that if a society is that advanced then there would probably be a way to 'clone' the memories or at least attempt to copy the electrical impulses of the brain.
Uh, friends and fellows, that was a joke. There is no 'original' with identical twins. When the egg splits, it forms two identical little living beings. And if my science turns out to be wrong and that's not what happens, it's still impossible for us to figure out now which one is which. It doesn't matter. I'm already the one with the inferiority complex, but then I was also born with all of the blood--my sister needed transfusions, silly thing .
