Last week in our crazy short week of school, we discussed different types of mutations including both gene mutations and chromosome mutations. What if Superman is just the result of some really cool mutations...x-ray vision, super human strength, and the ability to fly? Isn't that what the X-Men comic series is all about? How realistic is the theory that humans could have real life X-Men super powers?
Read the article below and watch the slideshow:
http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/323873/9-humans-with-real-life-x-men-mutant-super-powers
In a scholarly paragraph, write a response to the above article. What do you think? Are there really people around us with gene-based super abilities? Explain the statement, "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool." What does that mean? Can you give examples? Are all mutations bad? Why or why not? Can you think of any other super powers that were not included in this article? What super ability would you want? Why? Do you think these mutations would be gene mutations or chromosome mutations? Why?
I think the mutations like super strength and photographic memory are really cool and it would be fun to have them. I think people that can survive with less hours of sleep or can slow abnormal things are actually are gene-based superhumans. I think “mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool” means that mutations are caused when something naturally happens and adds genes that could be passed down to other humans. An example of that might be we develop different antibodies to fight off harmful viruses that are passed down to our offspring. Personally, I think if a mutation is not causing harm to the person or limiting them, then the mutation is good. I’ve read about this is guy who has an extreme tolerance for pain. He performs shows and lays on a bed of nails with audience members jumping on him, to name one example. I would want a photographic memory, so I wouldn’t really have to study for any tests and I could learn every language. I think these might be gene mutations because the base pairs might not align correctly.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a super immune system...imagine the amount of money that would save our country on health care.
DeleteI also think a photographic memory would be amazing.
DeleteI agree with you about the super powers. If I was given the choice I would probably choose super strength and a photographic memory.
DeleteI agree with Jaylynn, I think having super strength and a photographic memory are really cool. I also agree with that mutations are not causing harm to the person.
DeleteI thought this article was very interesting. I think there are people like the article explained around us everyday. The quote “Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool”. I think this means, that mutations are the cause for everyone having different “strengths and weaknesses” but, it’s what also makes us all different. An example would be the guy in the article with super strength. I don’t think all mutations are all bad, because some allow you to do things that others can’t like being fast. Another super power could be predicting things before they even happen. I would want to have a photographic memory, because i feel that it would help you out more in school and out of school. I think these would be chromosome mutation because not everyone has these “powers”. Also, it couldn’t be gene because then their parents or someone else in their family would have this as well.
DeleteI also think it would be col to have a photographic memory because, for one you wouldn't have to study for tests and you would remember everything you've ever seen!
DeleteI think the article was very interesting to read! There are really people in this world with cool mutations, like in the article there was a 3 year old kid with super strength and a man that could eat anything that would kill a normal person. The statement "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool" means that when people have mutations they will get passed down the line of generations. According to the article evolution could not have happened without mutations. For example during evolution along the way there had to be a mutation of opposable thumbs. Now all human beings have opposable thumbs. All mutations are not bad, as read in the article. Some mutations can be really cool like the photographic memory. One mutation that was not in the article was "captain sonic" this man has Super Echolocation in which he "sees" with sounds. I would want the ability to not have to sleep. I would be able to do anything I want and not ever get tired or go to sleep. This would be a gene mutation because it's probably the change in one amino acid that affected the organism to have this certain "power".
DeleteI agree with what you said about the statement and I have heard about people who have had a tolerence to pain. I find that not feeling pain can also be a good thing and a bad thing. I think that if you went overboard with not feeling pain it could do you harm and you wouldn't feel a thing.
DeleteI also think photographic memory would be a really cool super power. With your new skills you could travel anywhere you'd like and be able to become fluent in the language on the plane ride over! And like you said, school would be a breeze.
DeleteI agree that a photographic memory would be so helpful for school!
DeleteI agree with Kendall about the not having to sleep mutation. It would be really great to have more time and be able to not be so incredibly tired when only getting 7 hours of sleep.
DeleteI totally agree with you Jaylynn about having photographic memory. Think of all the hours in the day you would have more of. No studying, just go back and click on photo in your head and ace the test.
DeleteI like your example of the guy who can withstand extreme pains. I've seen those kinds of people and they totally freak me out. The only bad part about that is, if he takes it too far one day and it ends up really hurting himself permanently
DeleteI think it would be very useful to have a photographic memory!
DeleteI thought it was very interesting to see how the 3 year old had super strength I think that would be awesome to have! I also agree with photographic memory being something that would truly help me out during school.
DeleteI think that it would not be cool to have a photographic memory. There are some things that I really don't want to remember and for that reason I wouldn't want one.
DeleteAlthough those mutations would be really cool and fun to have, it could e dangerous because someday people might find ways to try and "force mutations" hoping that they will have a trait they want, where most of the time it will lead to the child having a difficult life.
DeleteI think it’s very interesting that so many things we see everyday were at some point considered a mutation. For example, in the article, it said the ability to drink cow’s milk without getting sick was at first a gene mutation, and now this ability is an essential part of modern society. Although it does make sense that this ability is more or less a “skill” because there are some people in this world who are allergic to lactose and therefore experience an unpleasant reaction to milk, cheese, and other dairy products. I think there are people around us with some kind of gene-based special feature but not necessarily super powers. To me the quote, “Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool” means that when new mutations come about, people have a chance to obtain a new gene that they may pass down to future generations. For example if there was a gene where a person’s hair would be naturally blue, they could pass on that gene to future offspring. I don’t think mutations are a bad thing, as long as they don’t cause some kind of illness or pain. And as far as appearance, being a little mutated compared to everybody else isn’t such a bad thing. One thing I learned after watching Xmen First Class was that the trait of auburn hair is a genetic mutation, and I think most women would agree that this color of hair is very beautiful despite that it’s a mutation. Personally if I had the choice I would probably go with photographic memory and super strength. I already have a pretty good memory, but the ability to pinpoint a certain date in time and have a certain memory associated with it sounds really cool. I think these “superhuman” mutations are gene mutations because most likely one of their bases got eliminated or had an extra which caused mutated amino acids.
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ReplyDeleteThe whole idea of having gene-based super abilities is cool. I believe there are people with gene-based super abilities all around, otherwise, there would be no slide-show on that article. I think mutations occur more frequently than we think, but some are just too minute to realize. The statement, “mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool” means that lots of different genes are being created due to mutations. In general, when someone mentions mutation, I automatically think of it as a bad thing. However, it is not necessarily. They are only bad when they hurt someone; otherwise, they are just considered different. Some can come in handy, while others are cool but not practical. They do change the monotony of everyone being the same, looking the same, and being able to do the same things. The guy with flexibility plain creeps me out though. Another mutation could be having extremely good eyesight, superb hearing, or maybe being able to hold your breath for a super long time. It would be cool to have a great photographic memory, double eyelashes, and an incredibly strong resistance to disease and illness. I think these super abilities come from both chromosomal and gene mutations, depending on the ability. For instance, the boy with super strength looks normal, it’s just his ability that’s different, so that would be gene mutation. However, the man with super flexibility looks different and moves differently than an average person, so a lot has changed within his DNA, making his a chromosomal mutation. I found this fascinating article about rare genetic mutations also: http://io9.com/10-unusual-genetic-mutations-in-humans-470843733
It's interesting how you talked about mutations being obviously visible and invisible! I never even thought about that, but you're totally right! Also I think you made some good choices about what you would want if you had any super ability! I mean what girl wouldn't want super lush lashes??
DeleteI agree with you that mutations are more common than we realize and though some may be cool, they may not be very helpful in society. I'm sure that many people have mutations but don't know because that is how they have always been and assume that everyone can do the same stuff they can.
DeleteI think what you said is really interesting. I think a lot of people have gene mutations all around us, but they are so little we can't tell.
DeleteI think that mutations are very interesting. Some mutations like the super endurance or strength would be cool to have but I personally wouldn't care for the eating anything. Yes there are people around us that have these abilities. I think "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool" means that mutations happen and cause new traits that are then added to your DNA that can be passed on through generations. Not all mutations are bad for a person, there are some like super strength that would help a person. I would want photographic memory because it would make life so much easier. I think this would be a gene mutation because I don't believe it is hereditary.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Trevor, I agree that super endurance, strength, photographic memory, or any mutation at all would be really cool to have as long as it’s not harmful. I think having any mutation would make your life so much easier. For example, if you had the ability to eat anything and had to survive in the middle of nowhere, it would be very useful in that situation. Personally, I don’t think the ability to eat anything is useful except in that situation because I’m not entirely sure if plastic or metal would taste good.
Delete“ Are there really people around us with gene-based super abilities?” I think it depends on how you view the mutations that are responsible for the “Super abilities”. As seen in the slideshow, some mutations can result in fame, however also noted was the potential danger of some of the mutations. Although they have formed lifestyles to support their special abilities, several of the “super humans” carry life threatening diseases, while not all mutations are negative, often they result in physically impairing syndromes. So really the mutations could not only be viewed as special powers but also misfortunes.
ReplyDeleteI recall reading about a man with some sort of “super endurance” which allowed him to run in a dead sprint for miles upon miles, while the article may have been exaggerated, it’s definitely an example of a positively affecting mutation. Another super human ability not mentioned in the slideshow is echolocation. Several people who have severe sight impairment or complete blindness, have mastered a seeing technique used by bats and dolphins. If I could pick a reasonable superpower I think I would want Photographic memory, you could easily learn new things, ace every test, and not to mention you would make a great detective.
As for whether or not these are gene or chromosome mutations, I’d say gene mutations because most of these syndromes can be passed down to offspring.
DeleteGrace, I liked how you mentioned that though mutations can bring fame, they’re not always easy to live with, and people have to build special lifestyles around them. We look at the benefits, which is ok, but we can’t overlook the negatives.
I liked how you mentioned that most of these "super humans" seem to also have impairing syndromes. I was also thinking that when reading the articles. While having a photographic memory or having a memory like Marilu Henner has its upsides, there are also a lot of downsides. I don't think I could handle remembering every single detail and everyone miniscule moment in my life, It would be too much! But then again it would be great to be able to ace every test.
DeleteI also would want a photographic memory, then I could learn a new langue in a night, always remember where I left something and never have to cram for finals again.
DeleteEcholocation would be an interesting skill to have, but is it a skill or a mutation? My guess is that it is a skill, only because I have never heard of a person who can echolocate and see. Numbers suggest that if echolocation is a mutation, it is probable that the number of blind people who can echolocate would be the same as the number of people with the gift of sight who can.
DeleteI agree with Grace. Though given these amazing abilities, these super humans have to create a lifestyle around their disease, and that could lead to a negative effect.
DeleteI also believe that photographic memory would be a great ability to have. Life would be easier in so many ways and learning something like a language or a skill would take little to no effort.
DeleteI think the statement means to advance human kind, we need to have some mutants. Memory and super strength are just a part of it. Maybe soon, in the distant future our grandchildren will have these "powers" because it will be as normal as walking on two legs.
ReplyDeleteI don't think all mutations are bad, but not all of them are good. I think it would be very helpful to have photographic memory for tests and in everyday life, but there can also be downsides to it. In the paragraph below Marilu Henner said that everytime she hears a date or year, "I see little movie montages, basically on a time continuum. I love the idea of photographic memory, but I want to have normal conversations about dates without a montage.
I think this mutation is a chromosomal mutation because chromosomal mutations are more severe and I think these mutations can be too.
I agree with what you were saying about photographic memory, it'd be great to have for tests and studying, but if I were to see something I didn't want to see, and not be able to erase it from my memory, it would be awful. I guess that bad of a memory is one in a million; I could live with it.
DeleteI agree that not all mutations are bad and that the statement means to advance human kind. Photographic memory would be cool to have but I think it would also be a pain there are somethings in life that you want to forget and then that power would be a pain.
DeleteI agree with your opinion on photographic memory, and I feel like any mutation with have it's pros and cons. But just looking at the body and seeing how much each and everyone of us is capable of doing, even without supernatural abilities, we are still are pretty darn awesome.
DeleteI agree that a lot of the mutations shown have their downsides, like that one guy's wife (the dude that eats unusual things) is always concerned that he'll cut is the inside of his throat one day from his favorite: Glass shards. I wonder if her (the one with the photographic memory) memories also get slightly changed every time she recollects them because I heard that when we remember things that we only remember the memory of that event and not the event itself causing our memories to become distorted over time.
DeleteThroughout this article, it shows that there are people with different mutations around us everyday. This quote from the article stated, “mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool.” From this quote, you are able to see the benefits of mutations and that mutations are the cause for everyone having different strengths and weaknesses. In addition, this is also what makes us all different. For example, the guy in the article with super strength is someone that is unique from almost everyone in the world. I don’t think all mutations are all bad, because some allow you to do things that others can’t, like being fast. I would want to have invisibility, because I would love to be able be anywhere when no one can see you and I feel like it could be beneficial in many things in my lifetime. I think these would be chromosome mutation because not everyone has these “powers”. Also, it couldn’t be gene because then their parents or someone else in their family would have this as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree; having the power of invisibility would definitely come in handy. That would have to be a large mutation though!
DeleteI totally agree I think that mutations would be good but then bad because I think it would be boring if we all acted the same way. I think it is better that we are all different and unique.
DeleteI agree with you that invisibility would be a really cool super ability to have! That would be really cool to be able to be anywhere without anyone knowing!
Delete"Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool," means that the reason we have certain abilities is mutations. According to the article, a long time ago, a human was born with a mutation that allowed that human to drink cow's milk without becoming sick. That mutation was passed down throughout the ages, and today everyone can safely drink milk. This serves as an example of variability being added to the genome and as an example of a beneficial mutation.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that these mutations are gene mutations as they only affect one trait.
I happen to have seen a couple videos about "super mutations" (here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r331mHLncyE) and two that struck me as interesting were the "rain man" and John Chang. The "rain man" was able to read two pages of a book at a time and remember everything he read, and John Chang was a qigong master who was able to do mysterious things with just his energy, such as light a fire with his hands. I don't know if these examples are even mutations, but they are certainly interesting; however, if I could choose a "super mutation", I would choose hyperthymesia because I would love to be able to learn any language and memorize anything.
I find the abilities that john chang demonstrated to be very interesting, and I agree with you that having hyperthymesia would be very cool.
DeleteThe Rain man is certainly interesting for i could never read two pages at once and remember what I read and lighting a fire with his hand may not be a mutation but him being able to harness his "chi" and use it for many different things.
DeleteI thought this article was boring; I was expecting cooler mutations instead of just having a double set of eyelashes. I don't think anyone has superhuman abilities more of just simple advantages. The quote "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool” means that mutations are a natural cause of diversity in the human population. Without mutations people would all have the same eye color and hair color. More importantly without mutations there would be no evolution so as soon as something big changes in our environment we would all just die. Mutations are good in the sense that they help us adapt to our environment but some mutations can be bad such as cancer and downs syndrome. A genetic mutation that was not in the article is Syndactyly which causes webbed fingers. A mutation I would want to have is a photographic memory so I wouldn't have to study for the test tomorrow; I think this a gene mutation because it only affects one thing.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that the people documented in the article weren't very spectacular. I mean I can eat a lot of hot dogs too-- where's my recognition!? And photographic memory would be pretty sweet if you could choose to forget things you don't want to remember, but also really neat to relive your favorite childhood experiences. Sign me up for that super power!
DeleteI agree with Josephine Neville, that without mutations we would all be the same and look the same. I too would not want to study for the test.
DeleteReading about these mutations was pretty cool. But are there really people around us with gene-based super abilities? Yeah! The people in the article actually had their own little super powers, which are great but also have their downsides. Reading about these mutations it seems a lot of these people have problems that regular people don't have and these problems have come from the mutations. One thing that puzzled me though was Mr. Eats everything, he cause his own "kryptonite". Even though the doctors said that he's putting himself at risk every time he eats something sharp, he continues to do it. In the Mr. Eats Everything video, the doctor was talking about how these "mutants" are like test subjects trying out new things, if they work well they will be kept and eventually spread out to many more. An example of this was the man that was able to drink milk from cows, now it is no longer a mutation but a common thing. This also shows that not all mutations are bad. If I were to have a mutation I think it would pretty sick to be able to use a higher percent of my brain. I would choose this because being smarter has so many upsides and very little downsides if any.
ReplyDeleteI agree with gray that Mr. eats everything is his own kryptonite.
DeleteI believe there are people around the world with super abilities like the article talked about. The statement means that we are always evolving to fit the new situation. An example would be the ability to drink cow milk and not get sick. not all mutations are bad, because some can help us get more stronger to fit our environment. I guess another super power would be the ability to hear anything. I would just want to be able to fly because that would be awesome. I don't really know but i guess i would say that they would be chromosome mutations since those have a bigger effect.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Matt that not all mutations are bad, some can be beneficial and really cool. Being able to fly would also be a really cool ability to have, but I'm not sure if anyone actually has a mutation that allows them to do this
DeleteI agree with grey on how all these people with mutations are just test subjects. And how one day they could be passed on and be a regular thing.
ReplyDeleteI think that is pretty cool. That reminded me of a TV show called Stan Lee's super heroes, where Stan Lee (the creator of Marvel Comics) goes around the world to find people with "super" abilities. The statement above is saying that those people add different abilities to the normal body at birth, the more these special people conceive, the more likely to get one of those "powers". Like being colorblind, it may not be in every person in a family, but if there's a history, you're likely to receive the mutation. I think these would be gene mutations because they only affect a certain part of the body, like an eye or an arm. I personally, would want power over time, it be very fun to mess with people when using it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Drew that these mutations are gene mutations. I also think that it's a gene mutation because it affects only one body part of the person. Even though these are significant changes, I think it matches more the description of a gene mutation rather than a chromosome mutation.
DeleteIn response to Andrew, I did not really think about how color blind people are they way they are because of a mutation. This makes you wonder what other good and bad mutations will come in the future. Also, I too think that having time control would be fun to have when messing with people.
DeleteI know exactly what show you are talking about and I loved that show! It was so interesting!
DeleteI agree with andrew how he said if there is a family history you will be more likely to recive the same mutation. It seems to happen alot weather for better or worse
DeleteIn my opinion, the reason we are able to withstand extreme temperatures, eat junk food, etc, is because of mutations. Most mutations seem to be gene mutations because they are one trait things. I really enjoyed this article because it was interesting to see the mutations that people have. A few of them were very interesting. Especially, the one about the hyper photographic memory. I think it would be very cool to have this mutation because remember where you put things and studying for tests would be a breeze! I definitely do not think all mutations are bad because without some of these mutations, we wouldn't have been able to evolve and adapt to life. Overall, mutations are very interesting to learn about because seeing the different things that people can do just because of one small mutation is really cool to see.
ReplyDeleteI thought the article was interesting and I believ that there could be people with cool genetic mutations around. I do not believe that a genetic mutation could give a person the ability to fly but I don't know crazy things do happen. Now onto the statement " mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants Into the genetic pool" If u look at history one species evolved to become better than the others and takes control. What I believe this means is that as the times go on everything changes wether it's warfare or animals/ humans themselves. To change is to survive our DNA adapts to our needs it just may take a very long time to do so. One time I turned on the tv and I saw this guy that could survive deadly amounts of electricity, our DNA is slowly adapting to the environment we are in and gives us interesting abilities. As time goes on humans will evolve to survive how I do not know but it will happen because to change is to survive.and to answer the question are all mutations bad I do not believe all are. I say this because Some people have a mutation in their CCR5 gene that makes the virtualy immune to HIV now tell me how that is bad. On to the topic of what power I would want. I would want the ability to adapt to any situation instantly. I say this because if I am in a burning building or a sinking ship I would adapt to the situation and be able to survive. To the final question I believe that they are gene mutations because it does not look like it is changing everything about them for the most part.
ReplyDeleteIf we count not being tired with little sleep and picking up heavy objects as mutant super powers, than literally every person in the world is a candidate for the super hero election. None of the people in the slideshow I count as actual mutants. I'm much more interested in the people with legitimate capabilities, and I don't necessarily mean controlling weather or fancy claws. I think human calculators and telepathic are far more interesting, although now we question the scientific credibility. Still, only the woman with a photographic memory seemed even mildly heroic. "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool." My understanding of this quote is that mutations are the means of evolving. Mutations give different characteristics and traits a test drive on a living organism to see if it gives the organism an advantage. These can be harmful though, in cases like chromosomal mutations, which cause disabilities. If I could choose a real comic book super power, I would totally love to fly. That would probably be a chromosomal mutation, but I probably won't sprout wings anytime soon. Too bad!
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you’re saying about finding the more in depth mutations, or as you said it, capabilities, more interesting than having an enhanced physical feature and such. I mean, it all is very interesting, but I think things such as photographic memory or telepathy are the things that you can really go in depth with thinking about, asking questions, and discovering how they work.
DeleteThere is most definitely people with gene-based super abilities around us. It may not be as fictional as the ones in comics, but they are realistic enough in medical terms. “Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool” is saying that mutations may be something abnormal at first, but eventually they become a normal trait. A mutation that is now common is blue eyes. At first this eye color was a mutation, now it is just another color of the eye. This mutation is because blue-eyed people only have small variation of melanin in their eyes. Not all mutations are bad ones because some of them made humans the way they are today. If we did come from apes then they had a lot of mutations to get here. I think that these kinds of mutations are gene mutations because something was copied wrong and just got passed along to the offspring. If I was given a super ability I would want a photographic memory because it would help me in school, but also because I have a bad memory. Whenever people ask me about that one time, I’m like “what? when was that?”
ReplyDeleteI thought that this article was very interesting! I think it is cool that there are actually people that live around us that have mutatuons like this. It is obvious that some mutations are bad, such as a frameshift mutation or nondisjunction. After reading the article, I thought it was neat that there are some mutations that beniefit the human body. I would love a photogenic memory or extra strength. These types of mutations are improving the human body instead of hurting it. In terms of "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool" I think that it means that we are given certain mutations so that it could be passed down to future humans. That, and like the statement says, it adds variety to the genetic pool. I remember readng about a genetic mutation that makes a person have two different eye colors. I also read an article on how red hair is the result of mutations. It is weird knowing that some of our everyday traits are results of mutations.
ReplyDeleteThe article showed that not all mutations are bad. There are some people with extreme abilities out there. I saw some of these abilities in the article like this guy with unmatched endurance, a guy that can eat anything, a little kid with a lot of power for his age, a unbelievably flexible guy, a guy that can party a ton with no physical consequences, a real small guy eating an insane amount of hot dogs, having a memory that is almost impossible, a lady with special eyelashes that makes her look hotter than other hollywood stars, and there are some people that need a lot less sleep than others. All of these abilities are things that came out good from mutations but mutations also cause things like Down's Syndrome, Turner's Syndrome, Sickle Cell Ammonia, and a lot more defects. There are still a lot of bad mutations but these rare good mutations can result in extreme abilities. Also we can't forget that with these mutations there are downsides that can defect the body as well. I don't know what mutations I would want to have for these good abilities, they all have their positives and negatives. Overall, not all mutations are bad after reading this article.
ReplyDeleteI think it's neat to know that there are people around us who have their own special "superpowers", or mutations. I think the statement "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new varients into the genetic pool" is saying that these are the reasons why people have the strengths and weaknesses that they do in certain areas. For example, Marilu Henner had a "Hyper Photographic Memory", and because of that she was able to recall every tiny detail from her life going back many years. I also don't think that all mutations are bad, as they can sometimes provide for pretty cool abilities. If I were to have my own super ability I would want invisibilty, as I think it could be helpful for different things. I think this mutation would be a chromosome mutation, or even a gene as well, if it were to pass down through the family.
ReplyDeleteI honestly think this article is awesome! I have seen a couple of the X-Men movies and I’ve always thought it would be so cool to have a mutation like that! But it’s even more interesting to see that there are real people with such super mutations.
ReplyDeleteThe statement "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool." means that without mutations we would not have been able to evolve into the amazing human beings we are today. Without mutations we would all be in a way, exactly the same. For example; blue eyes. The mutation allowed variation in the gene pool and now there are people all over with blue eyes!
In no way are all mutations bad! If all mutations were bad instead of the human race progressing we would be degressing. And we’ve obviously come a lot farther than Homo Habilis!
If I could have any super ability, I would want to be able to pause time. I man think of all the things you could get done if you could just “pause” finish whatever you have to do, and then continue on with your life! It would be so nice! Especially when you have a big test the next day.
I think that these mutations would be chromosome mutations because unlike gene mutations, chromosome mutations have a huge effect on the organism.
Overall, I think all of this stuff is very interesting, and would love to learn more!
ReplyDeleteI think the article and slideshow were very interesting. Having mutations like super strength or exceptional endurance would be fun but at the same time frustrating. For example, in sports everyone would think the only reason that person so good is because of their mutation, not because of their dedication.
I think the quote, "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool" means mutations make changes to species which may be improvements or disadvantages. For example if everyone in the future mutated and developed super endurance, the human race would be more fit as a whole because running would not be as terrible. So like the slideshow said not all mutations are bad but they can be. Like amazing flexibility could lead to internal health problems. I think some smaller mutations in the slideshow are gene mutations because only one trait is changed, but if their entire body is affected than their mutation is probably a chromosome or “big” mutation.
This article was definitely interesting. In my opinion, many people have super abilities that are hard to explain, and are very rare. Mutations that can seem like super powers are good and helpful, but also can be bad. Take Synthensasia for example, researchers argue about the number of people who have it, as most who do have no idea that their powers are not normal, but it is common enough that people know about it. Though it is true that most people with this condition also have some form of Autism, Synthensasia is can be very helpful if you have certain powers. I know of a disease called Cipa (from House MD) that gives you the inability to feel pain. I would never want that, because pain shapes who we are. If I could have any power I wanted, I would want to be stronger, like the boy in the article. Overall, mutations are not always a bad thing and some can be helpful.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article and watching the slideshow, I found this very interesting about how many strange and useful mutations are out there. Something that stuck out to me when reading the article, was “without mutations, evolution would not be possible—species could never gain new abilities or attributes.” This stood out to me because it shows that mutations are not just negative, they have many beneficial factors. "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool." This means, that mutations are what nature “wants” to change for either the better or the worse. This is why evolution has occurred throughout the years. For example, two positive mutations showed in the slideshow were, super strength and super endurance. I personally would love to have either photogenic memory or super endurance. I feel photogenic memory would be very useful for quizzes and test. On the other hand, super endurance would be a extraordinarily useful for running and workouts. I feel these would be gene mutations because they are traits one can have. Overall, I feel mutations are very interesting but usually thought of negatively but this is incorrect. There are many positive things mutations do change for the better.
ReplyDeleteI thought that this article was very interesting. This article changed my mind on mutations. Mutations don't only do bad things to us, but good things too. mutations make us unique in a way, by giving us our own, original, trait. Instead of watching movies with superhero's... we could be them. I think that everyone has a superpower in their own way, it's just so minor that we don't notice it. Possibly people who say that they can speak to the dead really can. This could possibly be their mutation, their unique trait. These mutations are just so rare that we don't notice them.
ReplyDeleteThe statement, “Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool.” Means that to whoever stated this, that their opinion on mutations are ways to make us evolve for the greater good, like how one day a man could drink milk and not get sick and now half the world's population can too. On the superhuman spectrum I don't believe these mutations are quit superpowers. An mutation that allowed this lady to have double eyelashes are super cool but not truly a super power.
ReplyDeleteAs a big X-men fan I always wanted to be a mutant and have special powers, I mean doesn’t ever little kid? But learning about genetics and mutations I see how possible mutant abilities are with the help of eugenics and genetic engineering. If I had to choose I would want to have super endurance and athletic abilities. I feel like that would be so much fun if I could run 30 miles a hour without even getting tired. But the ultimate mutation would to be able to fly. Wouldn't that be so cool! I could be in california at 3:00 then in 30 minutes fly back to Illinois.
I agree with you in saying that some special abilities are actually possible with the help of some genetic mutations. I also think that it would be super cool to fly!
DeleteI thought that the article was very interesting. I personally believe that there are people that have certain mutations that help them have these “super powers”. What I think it means when you say mutation is the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool is when a person gets a mutation it can be passed down to other generations. If I could have a super ability I would like to have a high pain tolerance. I think it would just overall improve my life overall.
ReplyDeleteI think the article is really out going in how it talks about real life humans with gene-based super abilities. I think there are people around with "super powers". "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool". The quote means that mutations occur because our bodies do anything it has to for survival. An example would be that the giraffes once had short necks but had a mutation and the gene was then passed on, given to all giraffes now.
ReplyDeleteNot all mutations are bad for without the giraffe mutating into having a long neck, it would have never been able to reach the leaves on the trees and survive. A "superpower" that was not included but could happen would be super jumps. A superpower that I would like is power absorption because I can have any power I want by touching someone else with a super power. Although, I would also get their weaknesses as well. I would think that these strong of mutations like the X-Men would be a chromosome mutation whereas photographic memory would be a gene mutation because only a few amino acids would be changed vs. a bunch of amino acids.
I liked the article because it helped me get a better picture of non-harming or ‘‘attributes’’ of mutations. According to the article many people around us who have special abilities such as super endurance or super strength. This quote to me means that it is random and rare to get special abilities but completely possible. Also according to the article, not all mutations are bad. Some may be a key that unlocks special abilities. This abilities definitely affect chromosomes because it would take more than one special gene to have a superpower.
ReplyDeleteThe whole gene mutation super traits is so out there that it seems like it isn’t even real. Yet, it’s there and real. To me, "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool." means that mutations are always being added in and contributing to life. Mutations are mistakes brought on by nature. The mutations pass down to generations and keep them going. I think that mutations can be both good and bad, considering there is something awful like sickle cell anemia while at the same time a “superpower” like great endurance. Lastly, if I was given the choice I would choose to have the ability of less sleep. It takes so much time out of the day and would open a window to live more.
ReplyDeleteI agree that mutations can be good and bad as well, and that people often think of the bad mutations more than the good ones. Having a good mutation would be awesome! I would love to have a photographic memory because school would be much easier.
DeleteI think this article is very interesting. The notion that mutations can cause modern "superheroes" is an interesting way to look at it! Even though these people don't have the typical superpowers we normally think of, they are definitely still considered superhuman qualities. Mutations happen when a variable is added to the gene pool, causing a change in an organism. For example, the gradual size change of a giraffe's neck was caused by mutations. Not all mutations are bad because they contribute to evolution. Without mutations, we would never be able to adapt to our surroundings. If I could choose any super ability, I would choose the ability to fly because I would be able to travel everywhere I wanted whenever I wanted. Since I love to travel, this ability would be a huge advantage. If this were possible, it would need to be a chromosome mutation because it would be a drastic change.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emma, mutations are extremely important in diversifying the human race and adapting to our ever changing surroundings.
DeleteI think this is incredibly interesting! I do believe that there are people all around us with amazing mutations and gene based super powers. "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool” means that within nature man takes on different adaptations that continue throughout one's family or in a generation or even in the world. For example, someone killed a cow and ate it, now we have steak, and hamburgers and more! Like the article said, someone had to drink cows milk and today many people drink milk. I do not think all mutations are bad. These unusual mutations make people unique and separate us from one another and they make us who we are. Another interesting mutation that I’ve heard of was extra good vision. Some people have better vision than 20/20 and that is a mutation. If I could choose any ability I would choose an amazing memory by far. My memory has always been good, but I would love it to be even better! The only bad thing for me about my memory is that once I know someone’s name, I practically never forget it, so most of the time I know people who have no clue who I am. I think these would be gene mutations because great memory can get passed to the offspring and it would have already had to have been a gene within the family
ReplyDeleteI thought this article was very interesting to read about. I think there are people like the article explained around us everyday. Many say mutations could be a bad thing, which they could be. But Mutations can be a really good thing as well. To me I think mutations can be really cool, like having a photogenic memory. Just think if you had that you wouldn’t have to study so much for school work. I think that would be extremely beneficial to me. Another reason why I think having a photogenic memory would be cool is that you would remember all sorts of activities or adventures that you went on and you wouldn’t forget one part about it. I don’t think all mutations are bad because some could really be useful in everyday life. to me I would love to have a photogenic memory it would make my life a lot easier. I think these mutations would be a gene mutation because if just one amino acid gets affected then the whole organism gets affected and that would then produce a power of some sort.
ReplyDeleteI agree that photogenic memory would help out someone greatly and hugely impact their life. However, bad gene mutations I feel are more often and more dangerous.
DeleteThe thought of these super mutations is a very interesting concept. Being surrounded by people with some of these ridiculous mutations is cool to think about. I didn't usually think of mutations to be beneficial, I had only really thought about the negative outcomes that occur through mutations. Having a mutation such as super strength or speed would be really cool, but personally I think that I would want a photographic memory. It would make school and just life in general a lot easier and more convenient. I think this would be a gene mutation because just one change in his amino acid which could be passed down through their offspring.
ReplyDeleteI agree with kyle, my life in school in sports would just be a breeze if i have a photographic memory
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ReplyDeleteI think that the people presented in the sideshow were quite amazing and that handled their mutations fairly well. The one with the incredible flexibility was really creepy though *shivers*. There are people out there with these crazy “gene-based super abilities”; and they are not limited to the nine cases presented but also several others in which I have seen on that one TV show with Stan Lee. For example, one person known as the “Human Fire Hydrant” could down two liters of water and spew it back up on command.
"Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool”. The above statement can be more simply put that mutations allow for evolution. Not only do we gain things, like the ability to drink milk, but we also lose things as a result of mutations, like no longer being able to eat the coarse foods of our prehistoric days. Although, not all mutations are bad, as you could prove from the article, but they do have their downsides. For example, the woman with the hyper-photogenic memory probably doesn’t enjoy reliving every moment of her life, especially the bad times, or the person with super flexibility probably isn’t too excited about the prospect of a heart defect. Nevertheless, their mutations have served them well in their acting careers.
Over the years I have contemplated a lot over the subject and have composed my top three super abilities that I would want (all of which are impossible to achieve). My top three are: teleportation, invisibility, and the power to control time. I have always wanted to silently witness what other people’s lives are like (is that creepy?) and I could do that with the abilities listed. Overall, it would help me get a better understanding of the circumstances around those who are prejudiced and those who generally make bad decisions. Also the power to control time would immensely help school life and my problems with procrastination. Anyways, I think the mutations that spark super human abilities would be chromosome mutations because they affect a whole chromosome, unlike gene mutations that only affect segments of DNA. Also, I think something as big as a special power would require a substantial change that won’t happen from one measly amino acid being changed.
I think that having some super powers would be great to have. Personally, I have always wanted to be able to fly and travel to different time periods but I have come to realize that none of that will ever happen. Some super powers such as being able to eat metal are just plain crazy. While not all mutations are bad, I think that some people may take advantage of their mutations.
ReplyDelete"Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool." To me it sounds like this quote is saying that nature it self can add different genetics to its 'pool'. This may be somewhat true due to the fact that our genes and cells are able to mutate themselves, but I also think that some scientists have purposely mutated some genes just to see what would happen.
I'd like to fly too, even though it's impossible. That would be so sweet :D
DeleteAfter reading the article about the mutations, I was really interested in the idea of people having special mutations that eventually passed down until it is a normal trait for humans to have. I do believe that there are people around today that have gene-based abilities. I wish I was one of those people. I think the statement "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool”means that when people have special mutations, they add so much to the world. They have a trait that is different than anything anyone has ever had before. That adds so much possibility to the world. If I could have any super ability, I would chose photographic memory. This would make my life so much easier. I would never have to study for tests because I would remember all of the notes and activities we did that involved information that would be on the test.
ReplyDeleteI think that mutations are amazing. They create diversity and change the way that humans are made up. It allows for evolution and improves the human race. Most mutations are very minor and not harmful, though, such as the mutation for two different colored eyes. I do not believe that all mutations are bad, but when the power to create a “better race” is in the hands of the wrong person, bad things could happen. If I were a mutant, I would want to have all the powers that Jean Grey from X-Men has. She can read minds, perform telekinesis, and more. I also think having a photographic memory would be very interesting. it would help with everyday tasks, especially tests! These types of mutations would probably be chromosome mutations because they are such big changes to the normal karyotype.
ReplyDeleteI was very interested in this topic because I really enjoy mutations. However, I feel that mutations can be harmful to the organism. For example, Down's Syndrome. There is a chance that mutations can be good, but I feel like the odds of getting a good mutation are not in your favor. If someone did get a helpful mutation, that would be a huge upside because that special "power" will be able to aid that person their whole life. Same thing for bad mutations though, they will affect the organism for the whole time it is alive. A super power that I would like is, like most people, photographic memory. Problems about studying or where you left something would not exist anymore. I would love to live in that world. Lastly, I think that this is a chromosome mutation because it greatly affects the organism.
ReplyDeleteThe superpower that I would want is a photographic memory because I would never have to study again! I could get an A+ in every class if I could remember exactly everything I saw. I think this would be a gene mutation because it only affects memory and nothing else that is very major like a chromosomal mutation would. Not all mutations are bad obviously because life would be easier with a photographic memory for example. One other super power that I know of is related to one that was already mentioned. There is a man who does not produce lactic acid in his muscles. He can literally keep running as much as he wants without getting tired. All in all, not all mutations are bad even though we think of the bad ones when we hear of them.
ReplyDeleteI have 2 perspectives on the whole mutations idea. If this is real (which i don't think it is) then it is up to the people that have these "powers". How are you gonna use your powers, basically this will turn in to just a movie. Some people will use it for good and some for bad. This could become a major problem.
ReplyDeleteI think it's very possible to have a gene-based "power", but that's a confusing term. Naming these abilities superpowers make people think of fantastical creatures from movies who can fly or shift time. In reality, gene mutations can only cause improvements in qualities we already have; that is very possible. By adding 'variants' to the genetic pool, nature continues to evolve itself as a whole into a better, stronger environment - because if one organism mutates to be more powerful, the rest of the ecosystem has to mutate to keep up with the competition, and therefore the ecosystem as a whole becomes more advanced. For example, if the wolves in a forest mutate to have better smell and find prey easier, the rabbits they eat will evolve to have longer legs and run faster. All mutations are not bad. I would like to have the genetic mutations that the 8 yr old has where he is abnormally strong. The only "downside" is that he has to eat more to keep up with his body, and I don't think that's a downside at all.
ReplyDeleteWithout mutations people would never evolve, or become better suited for their environment. Some mutations can be really harmful, while others are helpful. I would definitely want what the actress with the super memory had. I think it would be so cool to remember everything. I think these mutations would be gene mutations because the mutations don’t affect people as much as chromosome mutations.
ReplyDeleteI though that the article was cool and the one mutation I would love to have is the ability to feel pain because if i was a super hero I could practically be invincible and not feeling pain would make me 10x tougher and braver because I get upset over paper cuts and stubbed toes. I feel that mutations is what improves society because these mutations can benefit us in the long run when the people with these mutations have their own children like crazy strength or photographic memory can have their benefits as well as not needing a lot of sleep so when I pull an all nighter I wont feel terrible the next day.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that superman is actually the result of mutations is kind of a cool thing to think about. What if later in life, humans form new mutations that help us fly or hold it breath for extended periods of time. What if you lived in an area that needed you to have a mutation to survive and and you actually developed it. Mutations are cool because on one hand, they can be bad for you, but on the other hand, mutations are the reason that we can adapt so well to our environment. I also think we could possibly manipulate peoples genes to purposely have mutation, to experiment and see if it cold help us.
ReplyDeleteBased off of what I read and saw in the slideshow I do believe that a small amount of people in this world with gene-based abilities that we may call ‘super powers’. The statement “Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool” is saying that with each extraordinary mutation there is (almost) always a new outcome put out in this world for us to discover and learn about. I've always heard that blue eyes are actually a genetic mutation that just kind of stuck around, but I’m not sure it’s true. If it is a mutation of some sort, it definitely isn’t bad because it doesn’t harm the person it takes place in. I don’t think all mutations are necessarily bad, but before going into this unit I associated having a mutation as an unfortunate thing, which isn’t always the case.
ReplyDeleteIf I could have any super ability I would want to have super endurance because it would have a great effect on my running performance for races and such. It just seems like it would be very useful to me. I think this would be a genetic mutation because in the slideshow it talked about it being a mutation in the erythropoietin receptor gene.
In all honesty I thought that this article was stupid. I think that in most cases from what I saw it wasnt even really that ¨super-human¨. I think that a lot of it is just done through deception of media. The mutations they talked about were not even really mutations. The thought "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool." is saying how people think that the mutations in DNA are what brings variety into our lives. For example a mutation in skin cells might change a pigmentation seen on skin. So, no not all mutations are bad. I think all in all the ¨super-powers¨ should be saved for the comic books.
ReplyDeleteI think gene mutations are cool, and the few times they turn out in our favor are exciting. However, positive gene mutations are rare. Nature is throwing new variants into the gene pool by giving creatures new means to get through life. There's a man who was born with a complete immunity to cold. While this might be useful, a gene mutation is not an ideal situation. The chances of it helping are slim and more often than not, it will lead to adverse effects. These mutations most likely occur in the genes because they affect only certain parts about a person.
ReplyDeleteThis article showed me that there are more than just a few good things that can come of mutations. The strength that that young bot had a marvelous and it was interesting to see a man that can eat an entire plane in about two years. Mutations adding to the genetic pool just means that every mutation that is beneficial to yourself can be passed on to your offspring and bee added to their "pool of genetics" as well and if they gain any new mutations that are beneficial it will be given to their offspring as well.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the article. It made some great points actually. For example, the article said that without mutations, evolution would not be possible, and new species wouldn't be able to gain new abilities, and that's very true. If we didn't evolve as a species, we would be as advanced as we are today. I was very shocked to read that every time that our DNA is duplicated, at least 100 new mutations happen. I think when the article says, "Mutations are the means by which nature adds new variants into the genetic pool.", it means that some mutations are necessary to be able to continue evolving. It's very hard to say what mutations are good and bad because we all dream of growing super hero strength and having the ability to fly, but in reality those certain things just don't happen. People with actual mutations usually have an extra toe or they are super tall for examples. To be honest I don't think I would like to have any mutations because what does that mean if I have kids? will my kids end up with two noses if I had two noses? It's sure interesting to see mutations because they are so odd and strange but I think it would be too distracting and hard to live with. I guess the upside is being able to be in a record book. I think if I were to gain a super human ability, I would have the ability to have telekinesis. It's the best super power because you would never have to get up to get something ever again, you could control everyone else's brain's and make them hypnotized, and you could literally bend particles to your will, meaning that you could create anything you wanted whenever you wanted.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kendall, it would be awesome not to have to sleep
ReplyDeleteI think that it would be pretty cool to be born with super strength, it would make it much easier to go D1 for football. Obviously there are people with these mutations because if there wasn't there wouldn't be documented cases of such. This is like the Giraffe example because they started off with small necks until suddenly a new Giraffe was born with an extra long neck; but it allowed the animal to gather food easily so it was beneficial and ended up in the whole animal species evolving to having very long necks. Not all mutations are bad because they can result in a beneficial evolution to a whole race. I would want super strength and super speed because, I have natural intelligence so with super strength and super speed I go to the NFL but still have a degree due to my mind. Defiantly chromosome mutation because that's a large scale that would need to be affected.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I am not a sport type of person but i do comprehend the theory that you are saying. Mutations are great because certain people can like you said, have special abilities. It would be awesome to be the fastest or strongest person based off of a hereditary dysfunction that enabled you to have a special ability.
DeleteThis article was very interesting to me. Without mutations, species would not be able to evolve and adapt to their environment. If I had a super power, I would want to be able to shapeshift because you could be anything you want. If you want to fly, you can be a bird, if you want to breathe underwater, be a fish, and if you want super strength, be a gorilla. I am relieved that I don't have any known mutations because most of the time, it seems that mutations aren't very helpful and I wouldn't want to pass that down to a future family member.
ReplyDeleteMutations can be either a god or bad thing. The ecological pool is more diverse with each new type of mutation that occurs. Each day, species are starting to slowly become more diverse as each dna strand changes minutely. Mutations can be a great thing. They make us who we are (in a physical standpoint) and create diversity. Yes, it is sad that people get diseases, but on the other hand, life is being redesigned into spectacular things.
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