Crispr and supers

[Lameth]

In my planned supers game, I’m planning on having multiple theories why super powers are starting to pop up within the last three years. Only I know the truth.

Not counting some of the religious orianiated and the more crack pot ones , some of the running theories in the scientific world are: a strange eclipse in 1890 that’s caused some unnatural phenomena; Halley’s Comet in 1909; the Trinity Event in 1945; and in 2015 a experimental space station exploded and sprayed cutting edge tech and fallout around the world and in its astmophere. Another theory that I am playing with is the possible overuse of CRISPR late 90s and early 2000s. Essentially the altering of the gene pool somehow activated a latent gene in the population over the last 25years.

Has anyone used this tech in a supers or sci fi game yet?
Is this a possible theory that could be cooked up on the world?
In your opinion what are some possible plot lines to be explored with this tech and this theory?

[Phantasm]

How could you forget the Tunguska Blast of 1908 for theories? :)

I haven't messed with GMOs triggering powers in those that consume it, though as far as recent-origins theories it's not a bad idea, overall, so long as it doesn't turn preachy about "GMO is bad science!" IMO.

[Lameth]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

How could you forget the Tunguska Blast of 1908 for theories? :)

I haven't messed with GMOs triggering powers in those that consume it, though as far as recent-origins theories it's not a bad idea, overall, so long as it doesn't turn preachy about "GMO is bad science!" IMO.

Ohhhh never thought of the blast, good idea. Besides a meteor carring some form of alien bio matter, or perhaps strange radiation, it could also be something more odd like the hypothesis of some form of deep beneath the earth build up of a gas caused it, maybe releasing something chemical from the “hollow earth”. Who knows?

[dcarson]

Crispr implies control. Using modern biochemicals as a random cause makes it less PC influenced. I'm currently a great set of fanfic (dozen plus authors, over 100 stories, several million words) where the first stories used the old teen supers TV show the Secret World of Alex Mack as a basis where a new diet drug sometimes had super side effects. This also means that biochemical spills can cause animal supers. One story has Disney doing a live action remake of Dumbo with a elephant that bought from a circus that camped downstream of the dirt drug plant.

[scc]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

How could you forget the Tunguska Blast of 1908 for theories? :)

I haven't messed with GMOs triggering powers in those that consume it, though as far as recent-origins theories it's not a bad idea, overall, so long as it doesn't turn preachy about "GMO is bad science!" IMO.

You mean GEO's, not GMO's, we've GMO's for like 5,000 years or more. Realistically any plant variety created via exposure to radiation or mutagenic chemicals is more believable, after all I've seen the experiments that create those plants be described as something straight out of a comic book.

[Flyndaran]

Plants survive and even thrive genetic/chromosomal "distortion" that would render any animal completely nonviable. Tripling or doubling all chromosomes may create a "better" plant, but doubling one chromosome is horrific to humans, for one example.
But of course supers are super, so science has to get a bit rubbery to explain things.

Personally, I use the term "transgenic GMO" to describe what the most vocal "overly fearful" mean when they say, "GMO". They mean intentionally added genes not present in the targeted life form's genome rather than just modified genetically.

[starslayer]

You could also go with more 'mundane' theories:

1. Humans are developing powers as part of the next stage of human evolution
2. Cyclical stellar phenomenon (and historical stories of gods and the like are attributed to previous times this was the case)- might try to make it link to the sun or earth cycles.
3. Global warming (direct) or response to global warming

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by starslayer

3. Global warming (direct) or response to global warming

No, no. That correlation between the decline in numbers of pirates and global warming was a spurious correlation. In fact, the pirates were keeping the supers suppressed by eliminating those that expressed those abilities. And now that we're wondering where all the pirates have gone, more and more supers are appearing.

The first appearance of a super-ninja* will signal the final end of the pirate protection of the planet. The fate of humanity is then only up to the supers.

--
* Elektra, The Canary...

[scc]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Plants survive and even thrive genetic/chromosomal "distortion" that would render any animal completely nonviable. Tripling or doubling all chromosomes may create a "better" plant, but doubling one chromosome is horrific to humans, for one example.
But of course supers are super, so science has to get a bit rubbery to explain things.

You're talking about XYY male's right? Well what you probably know is wrong, you can have up to 46 chromosomes without suffering any problems from having them. The only chromosomal anomaly that causes problems is XX male, which makes you sterile.

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

Personally, I use the term "transgenic GMO" to describe what the most vocal "overly fearful" mean when they say, "GMO". They mean intentionally added genes not present in the targeted life form's genome rather than just modified genetically.

The problem is that GMO is basically a made up term, and using it the way you do means that if someone makes a new gene from scratch it doesn't meet your definition technically while still meeting the intent.

[AlexanderHowl]

There are plenty of genetic abnormalities that are caused by repeated chromosomes, the vast majority of them are thought to be lethal to embryos though, so nature is kind in that we do not often see humans born with four eyes or two hearts unless they are conjoined twins. Even partial duplication can be quite painful, as seen by people who experience rare diseases such as Pallister-Killian disease.

In fact, duplication events are only rarely not devestating, and they usually result in speciation. For example, donkeys and horses have a difference of one pair of chromosomes. In humans, the only duplication event that is not always problematic is XXX, which is thought to occur in 1-1,000 women and does not seem to cause issues for the majority of them.