In sci-fi movies, it is not uncommon for ordinary people to gain superpowers due to genetic mutations, such as Spider-Man who can fly over the eaves, the Hulk who is incomparably powerful, Wolverine who has steel and iron bones, and Storm who can control the weather. So, in the real world, can genetic mutations give ordinary people superpowers?
Genetic mutations give us superpowers?
In fact, genetic mutations in humans are happening all the time, which drives human evolution. Most of the mutations occur without any outside influence, they are simply errors in the DNA replication process, and these errors are replicated and end up being retained. Some mutations may be the result of external influences, such as radiation.
So, can genetic mutations give us superpowers? Maybe it really can. Scientists have found that some genetic mutations can indeed give people the ability to surpass ordinary people.
Mutations in the LRP5 gene, for example, can make bones harder. Researchers at Yale University in the United States found that when the LRP5 gene was mutated, people had greater bone density and stronger bones. Tim Dreyer, of Johannesburg, South Africa, suddenly suffered from facial paralysis at the age of 21. During the examination, doctors found that his skull was thicker than ordinary people, so he was diagnosed with osteosclerosis. After examination, doctors found the cause of his illness - a mutation in the LRP5 gene. The mutated gene made Dreyer's bones several times thicker than normal, allowing him to survive a car crash without breaking a bone. However, people with this condition have poor hearing and sometimes suffer from fatal intracranial pressure.
Another example is the mutation of the ACTN3 gene that can make a person an athlete. The ACTN3 mutant gene is also known as the "exercise gene". This gene mutation involves the speed of muscle movement. When the mutation occurs, when a person is running or doing other sports, the muscle has the ability to bend quickly, thereby increasing the speed of the person. A 2008 study revealed that many of the world's top runners and athletes have the mutated gene. Usain Bolt, the world record holder in the men's 100-meter sprint, is also said to carry the mutation.
In addition to stronger bones and better running, genetic mutations can also make people born with strong muscles and no pain, all of which are the result of natural mutations. With the development of science and technology, scientists can also use CRISPR technology to edit genes, so that people can acquire corresponding "superpowers". CRISPR technology is a gene editing technology that achieves precise modification of genes by knocking out or inserting genes in DNA.
Genes can't be changed
In this way, it seems that humans may really be able to acquire superpowers through genetic mutations? It's not that simple.
Natural genetic mutations are random and do not mutate at our will. And many genetic mutations can make people suffer from certain diseases while gaining "superpowers", such as Dreyer mentioned above.
Some might say that CRISPR technology can be used to modify genes. This technology does modify genes, but modifying human genes is not an easy task. Our appearance, body, hair and eye color are all determined by genes, and each trait is the result of multiple genes working together. Taking eye color as an example, the colored part of the eye is the pupil, which consists of the cornea and the iris. Since the cornea is transparent, the color of the eye is actually the color of the iris. The color of the iris is related to the amount of melanin precipitation. The more melanin, the darker the color of the eyes. So far, scientists have found as many as 16 genes related to eye color, including the gene that controls melanin pigmentation, and this gene is also related to our skin tone and hair color. That is, if you genetically altered your eyes to make your eyes blue (a blue iris with little melanin pigmentation), your complexion could be whiter and your hair color lighter. If it's just eye color, skin tone, and hair color, that's nothing to worry about, but modifying genes associated with melanin pigmentation can lead to certain diseases, such as hypopigmentation in the iris, which a person may develop Albinism.
It is so difficult to change the color of eyes just by manipulating 16 genes, making people like Spider-Man who can use spider silk to swing between tall buildings, more genes need to be changed, in terms of current human technology , which is an almost impossible task. Therefore, it may be difficult to obtain superpowers by changing genes.
If sci-fi movies became reality
What would the world look like if humans could have superpowers like those in sci-fi movies? This is a difficult question to answer, but scientists' research may give us some inspiration.
In 2013, researchers at Newcastle University in the United States found that when a pair of staring-eyed posters were hung on the walls of the cafeteria, food waste and littering were significantly less than before the posters were hung. Researchers believe that when exposed to the public eye, it is often difficult for people to disregard morality and the law in order to restrain their own behavior. People are more likely to do bad things when they are not supervised. Likewise, if a superpower can use superpowers without knowing it, then he is more likely to do bad things, such as his superpower being invisibility. This means that the world of superpowers also coexists with superheroes and supervillains.
More importantly, superpowers are not only the difference between heroes and villains, but also the difference between similar and non-class. And researchers believe that this distinction could drive humans toward extinction. First of all, we have to determine whether superhumans are still human. There is still controversy among scientists about the division of species. Some biologists believe that the ability to co-produce reproductive offspring is one of the important conditions for judging whether two organisms are the same species. Humans and gorillas are about 96% genetically similar, but humans and gorillas are not the same species and cannot reproduce together. If humans acquire superpowers through a large number of genetic mutations, then people with different superpowers and ordinary humans will also become separate species. This could split the human world into genetic islands, which could eventually lead to the disappearance of the human species, as well as the disappearance of superpowers that are not large enough to sustain their existence. The best outcome may be that people with different genetic mutations get together. As the so-called "things cluster together", different "human" populations live together on the earth.
However, there are some special examples in nature. Biologists have discovered that two different species of crows, although identified as different species, not only interbreed, but also produce fertile offspring. Therefore, it is still possible for different superpower owners and ordinary humans to reproduce together.
The above are just some of our guesses about the world of superpowers. It is still difficult for us to imagine what a society full of people with various superpowers would be like. Maybe they will work together to create a better world, or maybe they will Relying on their superpowers to compete for territory, human society has fallen into a long-term melee.
.jpeg)
