Is cloning a hoax? A clone is any living organism that is genetically identical to another organism. This requires that both the nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are identical. By this definition, identical twins are technically clones. This fact immediately dispels much of the mystery and mystique of human cloning. Nature herself produces clones, even human clones, without any expensive technology. The more narrowly defined type of cloning, however, is the attempt to create a living organism with only one DNA source, that is, one genetic parent. This is called parthenogenesis. Nature is capable of parthenogenesis in certain species, but the question is whether this is possible in mammals, including humans.