Is possessing a personal clone akin to having an identical twin?

Is there a boundary to what a single individual and a mail-order cloning device can achieve?

Simply fill the cloning vat with embryonic stem cell solution, insert a tissue sample, and adjust the dial to 'gestate.' Within three hours, you'll be distributing denim shorts and issuing commands to six unclothed replicas of yourself.

"Clones one and two, collaborate to tackle the office workload. Clone three, handle household chores. Clones four and five? The latest Elder Scrolls game won’t conquer itself."

Meanwhile, clone six might simply relax in the bedroom for a while. So many intriguing new questions to explore...

While it sounds appealing, current cloning technology falls short of the ideal. For starters, no verified human clones exist, regardless of claims about multiple Barack Obamas with fake belly buttons. Additionally, scientists are still uncertain about the health risks associated with cloning, and there’s also the U.N.’s 2005 nonbinding human cloning ban to consider.

The closest we have to human clones today are monozygotic, or identical, twins, reminiscent of the eerie sisters in "The Shining." Even their genetic profiles aren’t entirely identical, but they are remarkably similar, resulting from a single fertilized egg splitting into two zygotes. One individual became two.

Here’s the catch: Each twin develops as a distinct individual—even in the womb. Identical twins don’t share the same fingerprints due to minor differences in uterine pressure and amniotic fluid.

After being born, twins continue to develop along unique trajectories due to environmental influences. Factors like diet and lifestyle choices can alter how their genes are expressed (welcome to the realm of epigenetics!). For instance, Mary-Kate and Ashley may share identical genes for a specific health condition, but only Mary-Kate’s environment might activate the gene.

This explains why you’ll encounter identical twins living vastly different lives, each with their own health issues, aspirations, and favorite Coen brothers film.

Now, let’s take a closer look at your clone.

No More Cloning Around

To create a human clone, scientists would likely employ a method known as somatic cell nuclear transfer—the same approach used successfully on animals, including the famous (and now deceased) sheep clone, Dolly.

In typical human reproduction, sperm fertilizes an egg, merging two sets of DNA into one. Cloning, on the other hand, involves removing the egg’s nucleus and replacing it with the nucleus from the clone parent. While most of the resulting egg’s DNA would originate from the clone parent, a small portion would still come from the original egg.

Next, the egg would be implanted into a surrogate mother’s womb. There, in the warmth of a stranger’s body, the tiny clone would grow, shaped by environmental factors like a potential addiction to sugary snacks or a passion for following a certain band across the country.

So, would having a clone be like having an identical twin? Genetically, the answer is a tentative 'kind of.' In practical terms, however, it’s a definite 'no.' Twins are usually born minutes apart, not separated by decades.

Having a clone would feel more like raising a child—though you might eventually persuade them to donate an organ or two when they’re older.