Ever notice how in the movies there is usually a theme about gamma rays or nuclear radiation somehow mutating a human or creature into something more powerful? Now i do know that mutations can happen, but usually it is in the negative, such as sickness, disease, larger limbs, etc. However, in shows like 'The Hulk' and others the effect was 'positive'. The purpose of this thread...
Do you believe that there can be positive powerful mutations using nuclear radiation or gamma rays?
By positive I mean some kind of unusual super power is developed.
I suppose anything is possible, but I don't really think this is likely. I believe we suffer ill effects from exposure to certain things like too many x-rays, too much ultraviolet light, radiation. Exposure to these things kills or maimes a part of our cells or dna or genetic makeup in some manner. We then get sick or suffer some other malady. I have never heard of a case where the end result was anything positive. I think becoming the incredible hulk or having a small spider grow to be bigger than a house as a result of some exposure, is just the thing of movies/television and not reality. Just someone's wild imagination, yet, who knows for sure....
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However, in shows like 'The Hulk' and others the effect was 'positive'. |
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Do you believe that there can be positive powerful mutations using nuclear radiation or gamma rays? |
Scientists have long touted mutation as a possible cause of human evolution from amoeba to man. However, this has come under a lot of fire over the years, and not without reason. There has been little to positive mutation in a living creature the history of recorded life.
In fact, the exact opposite is true, in that mutations have almost all been fatal or debilitating. Mutations occur at a dna cellular level, and human mutation is getting worse and worse. Cystic Fibrosis is a form or cellular mutation which is indeed spreading through the human gene pool, but obviously is not positive.
There just has not been any evidence of consistent positive human mutation to warrant any belief that mutations can be a good thing. In fact, the gamma radiation and nuclear radiation mutations that have been recorded have all been negative mutations, usually causing cellular break down that is extremely painful and agonizing.
But I have to say that the idea of being zapped by something so destructive yet still becoming stronger is kind of cool to fantasize about. It falls under the premise that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. But alas, those types of comics where written in an era of less scientific knowledge of today. So they make great comic books, but silly scientific principles.