Science is known for rigorous self-policing by the research community, yet it can feel like scientific fraud is rampant. The story of Hwang Woo-suk, a South Korean scientist who gained notoriety for claiming to clone human embryos, provides clues. After leaving the field in disgrace, Dr. Hwang has landed in clover, and now spends his days cloning beauty show and racing camels for United Arab Emirates royalty. Dr. Hwang burst into the spotlight in 2004 when he reported success in making an embryonic human clone and deriving stem cells from it. This was the proof-of-principle for the once-hyped “therapeutic cloning” — in which patients’ own cells, from the skin or other tissue, could be used to create embryonic stem cells with their genetic signature, which could then be used to treat diseases.

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Persons: Hwang Woo, suk, Hwang Organizations: South, United Arab, Netflix, YouTube Locations: South Korean, United Arab Emirates