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Pro-embryonic stem cell research scientists are increasingly pushing the limits of the age of the unborn child when it becomes socially and scientifically acceptable to take apart for its body parts. While the 14-day embryo - which appears to be merely a ball of cells - is now the latest-stage embryo that most pro-cloning scientists say publicly that they will use for research, that boundary is being pushed back, with a recent study denying early embryos feel pain as just the latest, subtle volley, Hurlbut said. “Seven - to 10 - week old embryos are going to prove to be the most scientifically useful,” he said.