Tara Seyfer, B.S., M.T.S.
Research Scientist
Silver Springs, Maryland
tseyfer@earthlink.net
The ancient Greeks used the term to refer to a mythical creature with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. Other chimeras included the faun (part man, part goat) and the minotaur (part man, part bull). Many chimeras inspired fear; for example, the minotaur lived in a labyrinth of caves and ate the flesh of men. Today, the word chimera evokes different fears, involving the ethical ramifications of experiments mixing humans and other species. There are two types of interspecies mixes: hybrids and chimeras.
Date posted: 2007-01-07
The combination of humans with animals has been a concern since the Old Testament. It has been of particular concern in recent years because of advances in genetic manipulation, in vitro fertilization, and cloning techniques which make laboratory human-animal combinations easier to create.
Date posted: 2004-08-01
Many chimeras inspired fear; for example, the minotaur lived in a labyrinth of caves and ate the flesh of men. Today, the word "chimera" evokes different fears, involving the ethical ramifications of experiments mixing humans and other species. There are two types of interspecies mixes: hybrids and chimeras.
Date posted: 2004-08-01