So I created this thing called 'eye clusters', which makes a human or animal start to develop eyes on random parts of its body. The eyes can't see or blink. Would something like this be possible(maybe without the use of magic)? I was thinking that whatever makes up the eye begins to form in wounds or pores of a creatures flesh? Also, could infected animals transfer the disease by biting or being bitten?
5
-
$\begingroup$ You can do whatever you want with magic. Why not use magic? $\endgroup$– kingledionMar 30, 2017 at 22:44
-
1$\begingroup$ Look up either en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis or the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-banded_broodsac and go from there I guess. The latter signals birds so their host gets eaten. They really just want to be in the birds. Freaky stuff. $\endgroup$– MormacilMar 30, 2017 at 22:49
-
1$\begingroup$ Does it need to be an eye? White boils with black centers would resemble eyes $\endgroup$– TwelfthMar 30, 2017 at 22:54
-
1$\begingroup$ This question would greatly improved imo if you clarified exactly what you mean by "eyes." Do these structures actually need an iris, cornea, pupil, retina? Or do they just need to superficially resemble eyes? $\endgroup$– ApproachingDarknessFishMar 30, 2017 at 23:11
-
$\begingroup$ Oh i remember a video in youtube,It was about yume nikki,I dont remember the video but was an alien dissease what caused mutations similar to your eye clusters but deformed humans way more with time,You should see the video but it was creepy as heck! $\endgroup$– Seraph MyrmidonMar 31, 2017 at 8:19
Add a comment
|
2 Answers
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
4
Here you go.
I found this image on reddit, but here is an article describing how these flies come to have eyes growing all over them.
Organisms have "homeotic" genes which kick off the development of organs. If you cause expression of one of these genes at a site, it kicks off development of the organ at that site. This fly had the gene to kick off eye development plugged in next to the one to kick off leg development - so eyes for legs.
Your eyes could be infectious cancers like the poor Tasmanian devils get.
From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17062091. This is the least horrific of the images "Tasmanian devil cancer" gave me. It is a contagious cancer. Tasmanian devils fight and bite each other, of course, and they are immunologically so close to one another that cancer cells dislodged from one can take root in the wounds of another and grow.
If you had a cancer cell that expressed the eye initiation gene, the cancer would make an eye instead of a worthless tumor. If you had a contagious cancer like the devils, or a virally driven cancer (like cervical cancer) it could be transmissible. Crazy, but not magic crazy.
-
2$\begingroup$ Can the fly use the new eyes? $\endgroup$ Mar 31, 2017 at 6:30
-
5$\begingroup$ Yes. Re ectopic eyes on the antennae: "By following the axons from the antennal eye to the brain, we found that the axons project to the antennal rather than the optic centers of the brain suggesting that these flies might “smell the light”. An interesting thought that we are going to pursue." from ijdb.ehu.es/web/paper.php?doi=11902689 $\endgroup$– WillkMar 31, 2017 at 14:43
-
1$\begingroup$ The above link suggests that given the great age and similarity of eyes across different phyla, eyes were not evolved multiple times and the original eye might have been acquired in the form of a symbiont. $\endgroup$– WillkMar 31, 2017 at 14:44
-
2$\begingroup$ That is both awesome and gruesome... Nice find with links! $\endgroup$ Mar 31, 2017 at 14:46
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
Yes. The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis is a fungus. It takes over the brain functions of its host, leading it to its inevitable death. While doing so it creates spiny growths on the body.
Another is Green-banded broodsac. Broodsacs are parasites that take over the eyes of their host. They tend to flash brightly, attracting the attention of the natural predators of their host. They wish to be eaten so they can get into the larger predator.
Either changes the look of their hosts. I guess eye like growths are possible. Perhaps it's to attracts the attention of other animals or scare them away. Maybe the main predator refuses to attack within sight. Thus growing fake eyes reduces the chance of attack of their host.
