If you could pick any ONE power...

[Myself]

Alright, I was thinking on the weekend about mutations. I wondered what would be the chance of someone gaining superpowers through this method, so I used my knowledge of genetics and limited knowledge of mathematics to calculate the odds of someone having such powers. I used the assumption that 1 in 1,000,000 mutated genes gave a superpower and (since we all have thousands of mutant genes) 1,000 mutated genes per person.

1,000,000/1,000 = 1,000.

That's right. By these odds, 1 in 1,000 people would have superpowers (lucky jerks). That's not even factoring in inheritance, mutagens and more mutated genes (we have at least 10,000 mutant genes).

If we factor in inheritance alone, we find that by now, everyone on Earth would have inherited superpowers. Not just one or two, either, but many, possibly hundreds in some cases.

Sucks for us superpower geeks/nerds, huh?

I'll bring up other information later.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Rant from the Past...

Mkay...how about I just post this real quick and make sure nobody else gets me wrong. The following only goes to the trolls, not to Everblade or any other sincere posters, so please don't reply.

...

Obviously somebody is very stupid, thinking that it would be made to cry or something because they refer to me as a nigger??? HA! I laugh at those poor pitiful dudes, who think they're tough because the only black person they had the balls to call a nigger didn't whoop their pale white behinds...unfortunately, it doesn't prove crap, cause you couldn't say it to me in person with the same result (you better believe it). I don't care who you are, you foul, insignificant troll, you can keep your opinion to yourself, and if you'd be so kind as to retreat back under that nice little mossy rock of yours, you'd be doing the whole world a wonderful favor.

I don't typically take offense to the demented ramblings of internet-trolling, kiddie-porn masturbators who have sick fantasies about threeways with their mother and a donkey, but today I just felt I HAD to speak out. You obviously have no other good part of your day than sowing discord, so why not go troll somewhere where people would appreciate your stupidity? Why not find a nice little racist community online where you can call people "tailless monkeys" and "niggers" and everything else you want, all day long, and the worst comment you'll get is "Amen, brother".

If Nigg_a and Carcino are not the same person (which I doubt), then why don't you both go there together? Hell, maybe tyou two can even hook up on Chatroulette and share your racist remarks and your sick sexually-deviant fantasies there, you damnable ignorant slugs! Cause we certainly don't want it here. Good day and good luck, jackass.



@Everblade and all the other ACTUAL, REAL posters on this site...I hope you all realize that the post I just gave was targetted at a pair of racist trolls on the site, and the post given before that, about the "Omni" abilities was not meant to offend anyone. Anyone who is offended by such, please accept my apologies.

[jester_of_god]

..............but how many of said mutated cells would quallify as an actual superpower?

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Depends what a superpower really is....Ever watched Alphas?

[jester_of_god]

Said mutations were present at birth, not developed over time...............it's an interesting concept really, there is allready evidence of specific genetic defects leading to super human capabilities, althoguh several of these seem only to surface with intense training or technique....actually the odds are withs everal thousand years of cross breeding and survival under mankinds belt, pretty much everyone has innate abilities that they could draw on that were present in their ancestry................................................................

[jester_of_god]

...However the main problem with spontaneous mutation developing into super powers is mainly that for any powers to surface it would have to spread to almost every cell of the body. and even then it would be almost impossible for the body to reshape itself into a form that could use said powers, such things have to be present from conception to early infancy to have any affect...then you have to bypass the bodies natural immune system which would destroy any malfunctioning cells.......In addition, although it is true that mutations occur some being beneficial, others not so much, for a mutation to actually become prevalent, and be classified as a super human ability are incredibly low.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Duh, we already know getting superpowers is almost an impossibility

[jester_of_god]

Not quite, it is still possible very much so, just exceedingly difficult. All you would first have to do is retrigger cells reproductive abilities, and distribute the genetic code througout the body via virus, after dampening the immune system.

[neogenetica]

Well there is also the fact that it's unlikely that one gene alone grants a superpower. Genes can be active or unactive which determines their influence so any necessary developments to to allow a specific power would be hard pressed to take place after toddlerhood(Barring powers of the mind or more spectacular abilities as these would likely involve complicated Newtonian or Quantum physics). In addition it could take variety of active genes with different small effects to add up to a full blown superpower. For instance, take superhuman reflexes, there woould have to be several genes to both boost the visual processing of information, and boost the response time of the brain and muscles. If we take this into account it shows that if even one gene is unactive at a developmental point then even if it's active later the body might not have the capacity to preform that power due to the lack of proper developments. Also, some genes that would work together to allow powers might just be missing a single genetic code that would finish it. Even if developments were unnecessary or, as Jester said, could be done later, certain seemingly small genes that form a whole combination of powers may be missing, which would result in no display of said powers. While it is possible that the body has some unique genes to dampen the immune system and spread the necessary DNA to all the cells to make necessary developments it would then have to regenerate and compensate for anything altered because of this development. Even physical factors can be considered. A person may be genetically endowed with superhuman strength they might not be predisposed towards muscle growth so even though everything else was in place that one factor could lead to this ability being overlooked.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

You guys realize that it would only take a couple weird, mutant genes to make somebody a superhuman right? There's only the one gene that marks the ability itself, and then maybe a lesser faculty (like Acid Blood, accompanied by Acid Resistance to one's own blood, or Superintelligence accompanied by a stronger brain to handle the increased input/output).

And so technically, if you had thousands, they would be likely latent powers, to be passed on to one's offspring as powers (or combined with the genes of another, which would result in a new power, a variation of the original power or a combination of powers from each parent/ancestor contributing).

At least that's how I would assume it works based on shows like Heroes, the movie Sky High, etc.

[Philote]

I had an interesting idea for a Hero that had to body snatch pedestrians to use his powers. Depending whose body he stole would be how he could use his powers (Based on their Job, hobby, or whatever they were doing when they were body snatched).  So he would have to kidnap innocent people off the street for a moment in order to fight superpowered foes.

[Zaleramancer]

For every guy with flight, there's a hundred with supersneezes or something.


Ohhh and I just started watching that show Alpha.

It gained my nerd love when the guy with super strength actually used it for more than picking things up. Namely, super fast running.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Hehehe...

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Alphas is so cool, cause it gives real explanations for their superpowers.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Strange.....

[Philote]

Agreed, Alphas is good

Gary is awesome

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Gary's my favorite....."DCIS, we ask the questions....not you."

[Zaleramancer]

Respect the badge?

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Gary: "I need to stop the humming Bill, give me a gun..."

Bill: "I'm not giving you a gun Gary."

Gary: "You're right....give me a grenade"

[jester_of_god]

...........So basically a person who is able to possess someone and manifest their souls as powers based on their personality while possessing them?