http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article311555.ece
"Scientists have created the first human embryos in Britain by a technique of "virgin conception" that does not involve either fertilisation with sperm or cloning. The six embryos lived for between three and five days and were created as a potential source of human stem cells, which can develop into the body's specialised tissues such as brain nerves or bone."
"...We have not at present got embryonic stem cells,"
So they're trying to create a baby by a scientist waving a magic wand around a petri dish??? What's wrong with the good ol' fashioned "insert sperm into egg" idea?
Parthogenesis actually occurs in nature on its own, but it's very rare. Note that offspring is (AFAIK) always female, so Jesus prolly was a girl.
If I remember correctly it occurs quite frequently among aphids and the like.
Of course offspring is always a perfect clone of the mother, so is female, but it could be interesting for biological studies (test a drug or whatever on a population of exactly identical animals)
I just read the title of this thread as "Virgin Misconception". This sounds far more interesting. Please discuss this subject instead!