Define cloning and give some examples

• A. The natural process of cell differentiation
• B. Reproducing genetically identical cells or individuals; Ex) hydra-budding
• C. Random mutation during replication
• D. A method of acquiring new species

Answer: (B)

Cloning means making genetically identical copies of a cell or organism. The key idea is that the resulting offspring or cells have essentially the same DNA as the original. Hydra budding is a classic example: a small new individual forms as a bud on the parent and is genetically identical to it when it detaches. Cloning can occur naturally through asexual reproduction, or artificially through methods that create an identical genetic copy, though the environment can still influence how a clone develops. This differs from processes like cell differentiation, where cells specialize into different types, or from random mutations during replication, which introduce genetic variation. It also contrasts with forming new species, which involves evolutionary changes across populations and genetic diversity over time.