Questions tagged [genetics]
For questions about a way to pass on biological information from one generation to the next.
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Using Mythology to Inspire Human Evolution [closed]
This scenario teeters on the verge of B-movie science fiction, but still, let's say that some ambitious scientist, who is an avid fan of mythology, uses that childhood obsession to test genetic ...
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How could Kuutamian animals work?
In Ribbontails Series Aman5 there are creatures called Kuutamian animals. These animals are sapient and can have any form. The creator uses the excuse that they have three DNA strands, but how ...
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Will changing the DNA change the hair structure/color taking into account the fact that it gets constantly renewed? [closed]
I have read this comment on the website "...changing the DNA will not change the phenotypical effects that were caused by the code! So if you change somebody genes so that his eye colour would have ...
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Karyotypes of partially interbreeding human races
In a non-magical world where homo sapiens has evolved into several races or breeds (like dogs) or even species as in Q10102 and Q12190, that can interbreed for the most part, how can one model the ...
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Mirrored twins that aren't identical?
If a pair of twins developed when their mother's egg split in half and they were fertilized by different sperm, could one of them develop situs inversus? The child with the condition would be male, ...
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Are there any side effects if genomic imprinting no longer exists?
I'm trying to make a world that human sex ratio is 2:8 (male:female). Most of the females are homosexual, and male is not necessary for reproduction. I thought it was easy at first, just say that ...
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How will a different form of DNA works?
Most species of living organisms have double helix DNA, can there be a tesseract DNA? What benefits does this form of DNA have over the common helix form? Will this form of DNA unique to 5 or higher ...
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Race relations in the land of human shapeshifters
What happens in regards to race relations when anyone can arbitrarily change their appearance? This is based in a near-future Earth where normal humans the world over have gained the ability to ...
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Society of Kind, Handsome Geniuses = Dystopia?
Say we have a rich, rich society, where due to scientific advances, a generous socialist-bent government willing to tax the rich at 75% and patriotic citizens mysteriously willing to pay said taxes, ...
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What's to stop shapeshifting humans from changing their appearance all the time?
All the excitement surrounding the power to quickly and easily alter one's appearance has largely died down. Social norms have arisen around what kinds of changes are acceptable and which kinds are ...
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Cloning through mating
All of us have unique DNA, one part of it is from our father the other part is from our mother. Suppose there is a way to allow human being to give birth to a pair of twin whereby the male inherited ...
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How long will it take to restore genetic diversity if it is reduced drastically in a human population?
I read in this question that the minimum viable population without causing large problems in genetic diversity is about 50. If we have a larger population (say a hundred) and genetic diversity becomes ...
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The Fullest Potential of The Human Race
70,000 years ago, Homo sapiens sapiens suffered a genetic bottleneck that reduced the population of likely 100,000 to 3,000. Over seven billion people of several distinctive races are descended from ...
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How many people are required for a healthy re-population of the Earth (Post-Apocalypse)?
In my particular Earth, much has remained after the human-killing virus, and nature is thriving - even taking over the cities. It's beautiful. But I have separated the healthy populace in orbit ...
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Genetically preventing a rebellion on a generation ship
In the year 21--, a crew of 100 sets out from Earth on the good ship Tenzing Norgay, bound for Epsilon Eridani. The journey is estimated to take . . . well, quite some time, given that it was ...
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How much genetic variation between a human and an alien would allow the human and alien to have, even infertile, offspring?
Background:
Human Origins:
We originated from a space-faring civilization. A breakaway faction that hates advanced space level tech traveled here and set up shop before destroying their advanced tech. ...
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What if a person can bear a child that is genetically identical to its parent?
We all know that genetic diversity in our species (homo sapiens) is maintained by sexual reproduction. Man and woman provide each half of genetic information randomly selected from their own to their ...
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Could someone survive if all the DNA inside his cells got damaged? For how long?
I did some quick research on DNA and I know it can be damaged by different sorts of mutagens. I also know that this kind of damage can lead to cancer. Though I'm not entirely sure of where exactly it ...
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Improving human reaction time
In this question, we were provided a look at what would happen if a human-like species was capable of moving faster than the speed of sound. The consequences of such a modification seem rather ...
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Same species originating from multiple planets?
Like the title states, how would it be possible for the same species to live on multiple planets (before space travel is invented)? Basically, a civilization invents space travel, meets aliens, and ...
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How would a child of a human and alien inherit abilities?
Imagine a child of mixed race, one parent is human and one is an alien who has some ability humans do not have, for the sake of argument telepathy. I'm assuming there is some advanced medical ...
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What is the technical feasibility of DNA-altering drinks in a fictional bar?
I am interested of a fictional future world where people can walk into a bar, order a drink with the flavors they want, and as that drink flows through their system, their DNA is modified.
An example ...
user6843
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How can I make a net beneficial genetic trait occur only in a small fraction of the population, sustained?
For a species I am working on, there is a specific genetic trait that I want to introduce into the population. The exact nature of either is not important for the purposes of this question, but the ...
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Will humans ever have 6 fingers on one hand? [closed]
The polydactyly gene is dominant over the common gene for finger number. Will humans ever have six fingers?
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Real life explanation of inheritance of werewolves' curse
Let us imagine later medieval society, very close to our 15 century society. This society struggled with Great Plague. The legends say, that they signed a pact with some supernatural forces, and the ...
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How could an insectoid race survive despite a small gene pool?
Consider an insectoid race where each worker/soldier/role is bred as required by the queen. This is very similar to ants on earth. Periodically new Queens are born who then set out to found their own ...
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What are the effects of having too small a gene pool?
This question discusses the various steps a very small gene pool could take to avoid inbreeding however most of the answers agree that it's very unlikely that a group of 6 individuals could avoid all ...
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What is the minimum distance needed between physically distinct races?
If there are several races with very distinct appearances (e.g. Nordic-pale vs. Arabic-tan skin, red vs. black hair, etc.), how much space / natural barriers do I need between their homelands to ...
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