The intersection of the science of cloning with popular culture came with the announcement by Scottish scientists of a successful cloning of a sheep. Named “Dolly,” she represented the possibility of reprogramming cells of a creature to grow a genetic duplicate – a clone – of that creature. Dolly inspired a lot of people — and scared a lot more.

On this day, January 12, 1998, 19 European nations gathered in Paris to sign a comprehensive on human cloning. Several scientists were already announcing they could begin to experiment with human cloning, but the process was, and in a lot of ways remains, fraught with ethical problems, leading to a formal ban.

The ban came at the same time as genetic scientists suggested the possibility of replacing internal organs from grown clones. The fear guiding the European ban was the possibility of viewing human beings as instruments, to be grown only to be harvested for parts.