On average, human offspring are born with four original genetic mutations in addition to inherited mutations that are passed down from ancestors. Collectively, these mutations form the mechanism behind natural selection, the incremental winnowing process that shapes all modern species. Most agree, this is a very slow process. Even with the steady accretion of new and compound mutations, the phenomenon of natural selection takes place over millions of years.
So slow is the process of natural selection that changes to the human form are undetectable from generation to generation, from century to century or even from millennia to millennia. Moreover, technological innovations combined with modern medicine have helped to retard evolution into a period of stagnation. Yet isolated cases of accelerated mutation are documented with surprising regularity. Normally, these instances take the form of harmful mutations, as in the case of Down's syndrome or other well-known hereditary disorders.
Increasingly, however, reports of human offspring born with beneficial mutations are finding their way into scientific journals and popular lore alike. Called simply "mutants," these individuals will often possess superior physical or mental abilities that range from telekinesis to controlled electrical discharge. Until recently, the study of beneficial mutation or "Mutant Studies" was frowned upon within the scientific community and relegated to obscurity due to a lack of funding.
According to the Center for Genetic Studies in Raleigh, NC, evolutionary glitches, or missing links such as the legendary "Big Foot" have been well documented over the years, but never before has the scientific community witnessed instances of accelerated evolution. Once thought to be the stuff of fairytales or urban mythology, the mutant phenomenon has slowly started to garner credibility and greater attention within scientific circles. Some anthropologists have even begun to question whether legendary fictional characters such as the biblical "Goliath" or the mythical "Oracle of Delphi" were in fact, mutants of their time. "Nature has been known to occasionally leave behind evolutionary reminders such as Big Foot or the Loch Ness Monster," says Dr. Amoroso of the center's Mutant Studies Department, "but never have we been afforded such a clear and humbling view into our species' future."
So, what causes accelerated mutation rates? There are no definitive answers but most scientists agree that the human "mutator" gene (see diagram 4b) is to blame. While the debate continues over the intricacies of this evolutionary catalyst, social scientists are busy exploring the greater societal implications.
In an age where technology and society have intervened to hinder the path of natural selection, will the presence of mutants threaten to refuel it? To put it plainly, will the modern Homo sapien soon find himself sharing space on the endangered species list?
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