In this week’s column, David Niesel and Norbert Herzog discuss advancements in biomedical research involving stem cells and the human brain. According to the authors this method of research poses ethical questions among scientists. When might the threshold be crossed to give an animal some human characteristics. According to Niesel and Herzog research will continue to explore the human brain and define what it means to be human. This column is also published in The Galveston County Daily News.