Millionaire entrepreneur and biohacker Bryan Johnson has unveiled another controversial experiment, claiming he has created a "clone" of himself using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology. Johnson said the laboratory-grown cells, which he described as a newborn version of himself, could eventually help test new treatments, grow transplant organs and even slow ageing. The announcement comes weeks after he revealed he had been diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disease. While Johnson believes the technology could reshape future healthcare, his claims have also sparked criticism, with many questioning both the ethics of the idea and its real-world medical potential.
Biohacker Bryan Johnson Clone
Bryan Johnson shared the announcement on X, saying he had created what he called a "newborn" version of himself using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology. The process involves taking cells from a blood sample and reprogramming them, so they behave like embryonic stem cells.
"I just cloned myself... as a newborn," Johnson wrote. He added, "This baby-bryan lives in a petri dish for now. This may be scary to some people… a dystopian future. But, for others, they will see it as the inevitable future of health." The technology itself is part of an established area of stem cell research pioneered by Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka, who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012.
Ageing And Disease
Johnson said the project was inspired by his recent diagnosis of an autoimmune disease that affects the stomach lining. He believes the stem cell model could eventually be used to test treatments before trying them on his own body. "With this clone, I can become my own blood boy, test therapies on the clone, grow organs for transplantation, develop new treatments, and inject young cells," he wrote.
He further claimed, "This technology gives us a path to reverse aging." According to Johnson, advances in artificial intelligence, genetics and biological research could help challenge the idea that certain illnesses are permanently incurable.
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Mixed Reactions
The announcement has divided opinion online. While some praised Johnson's willingness to explore emerging medical technologies, others criticised the experiment and questioned its ethical implications. One social media user wrote, "Bryan Johnson is what happens when you give too much money to a man who is morbidly afraid of death."
Johnson has previously defended his unconventional health experiments, saying his work is intended to accelerate scientific discoveries rather than simply extend his own lifespan.
Bryan Johnson's latest announcement has once again placed him at the centre of the biohacking debate. Whether his stem cell experiment proves medically significant or remains a controversial personal project, it has reignited discussion about the future of regenerative medicine and anti-ageing research.