A quick update on the Pope. After his recent pronouncement about the dangers of being seduced by science he’s now warning that human dignity has been “shattered” by the prospect of cloning (Reuters).

This is strangely reminiscent of a recent statement from a group of Catholic bishops in the UK that has stirred up much ire amongst scientists.

In a speech to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which used to be called the inquisition, the Pope said freezing embryos, embryonic stem cell research, and the prospect of human cloning had “shattered the barriers meant to protect human dignity”, according to Reuters.