Oregon researchers stated this week that it achieved what could be considered a minor breakthrough in stem cell transplantation. In effect, the team combined skin cells of a male rhesus monkey (macaque) with unfertilized monkey eggs.

Those unfertilized eggs did not contain DNA, so this process effectively cloned stem cells. Anything close to this process sets up debate when human embryos are involved, so perhaps the scientists are trying for proof of concept to sway stem cell critics? Who knows.