Member-only story
A Cloned Ferret Successfully Birthed Two Healthy Offspring
The future is now
Things like flying cars, interplanetary travel, and cloning are prime examples of futuristic technology. Yet, modern scientists are currently making significant strides with each. The FAA signed off on the first flying car in 2023, Elon Musk is determined to send humans to Mars with SpaceX, and scientists have already cloned several animals.
Still, while each advancement is in the works, it’ll be a while before any of them become common or widespread. Yet, while we go about our lives, the timelines creep forward as scientists advance their research bit by bit, reaching and surpassing new milestones. Like recently, experts entered a new realm of cloning science when a cloned black-footed ferret successfully gave birth to healthy offspring.
Black-Footed Ferrets
Over twenty animals have already been cloned, ranging from fruit flies and rats to pigs and water buffalo. Not to mention, over 1,500 dogs, encompassing about 20 percent of the American Kennel Club’s recognized breeds, have also been cloned. However, another cloned animal has been making headlines recently: a black-footed ferret named Antonia. But before we discuss her story, let’s talk a bit about why Antonia exists at all.