[SailingAway]

Many may have noticed the breif appearance of Penelope Widmore (Desmond's ex) in the second season however, I have yet to hear anyone notice her connections.

When Sun was hassling Sawyer for her pregnancy test, you may or may not have noticed that the box said "Widmore Labs." Also, we know Juliet is a fertility doctor.

It appeared as if she was nearing success of an artificial insimination of her sister who we can assume was deemed unable to produce children. Juliet's colleague stated a 'moral' delimma with the procedure, this leads me to believe that her strategy involved either stem cell research or cloning.

I'm starting to lean towards cloning. This could explain the reason for the 'Others' taking blood from everyone they capture. It could also explain the appearances of Walt, Ecko's brother, Jack's father, etc.

If it is stem cell research, it would surely explain the expiraments on Claire and her baby when she was abducted in season one.

Overall, I believe the "Others" are part of a private (maybe government) think tank expirament.