From NPR:
Two teams of scientists have independently discovered a way to turn ordinary human skins cells into stem cells with the same characteristics as those derived from human embryos, a breakthrough that could open the door for advanced medical therapies.
If the work holds true to its promise, it would largely bypass ethic issues that have dogged research on human embryonic stem cells and allow scientists to tailor the cells to specific individuals, eliminating the possibility of rejection.
In my opinion, if this works like they say, this is HUGE. Imagine having the use/power of stem cells for research without the ethical implications of destroying an embryo. Simply amazing. This could lead to so many things.
Listen to the story.