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Analog Science Fiction & Fact Magazine
March 2002

This month's issue of Analog features an editorial by Stanley Schmidt who looks at the issues and debates (mostly heated) behind stem cell and human cloning research. He gives a brief reminder about similar debates over over reproductive technologies in the past (like in-vitro fertilisation) to give a perspective on debates on stem cells and human cloning. He believes research into those areas will continue but wonders where we might be headed in a future where human cloning is considered routine.

Stories featured in this issue are:

• "Hominids (Part 3 of 4)" by Robert J. Sawyer. In this part of the interesting story, Ponter, the Neanderthal from an alternate Earth, finds out more about our Earth and has begun to resign himself to living among humans for the rest of his life, cut off from his own world. Meanwhile, back on Ponter's Earth, his partner Adikor, is struggling to explain what happened to Ponter and defend himself against the accusation that he had murdered Ponter. In the end, he comes up with a plan to try to get Ponter back. But will he have the chance to try it?
• "Hearts in Darkness" by H.G. Stratmann. In this exciting story, a medical doctor on a space station is suddenly thrust into a moral and medical emergency when one of the station's crew members suffers a heart attack under unusual circumstances involving other crew members.
• "Parchment in Glass" by Ron Collins. An interesting but somewhat confusing (to me) story about a scientist who is sent to a conference to assasinate another scientist, believe to be a traitor by his government. But as the mission continues he discovers an even greater danger which he has to eliminate.
• "DNA Royalty" by Kyle Kirkland. An amusing story about twins, set in a futuristic castle. One of them is always striving to escape from the castle but he is always caught; except, perhaps, once.
• "Flight Correction" by Ken Wharton. An impressive and fascinating story about a scientist who lives an isolated life with his family somewhere in the Galapagos islands. When an unusual avian event happens, he suspects it may something to do with the 'space elevator' built nearby. But how can he prove it and can he convince the authorities in time to avert a potential disaster?
• "The Human Genome Results" by Steven Bratman, M.D. This Science Fact article notes that the Human Genome Project has discovered that there are 'only' 30,000 genes in the DNA of a man. Based on this, he speculates on the possibilities of creating artificial life. He starts off by covering how DNA acts as an information search engine and storage device and thinks how this could be artificially duplicated. He goes on to speculate on whether such intelligent might develope feelings and consciousness.
• Ego Boost by Ian Randal Strock. A Probability Zero story that looks at the discover of a new power source: the human ego. But who would be the best source?
• A Primer on Proof by Jeffrey D. Kooistra. This Alternatate View article looks at the difference between the words "proof" and "evidence" and shows how people can mis-use them.

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