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All Humans Are Mutants, Say Scientists

Hugh Pickens writes "In 1935, JBS Haldane, one of the founders of modern genetics, studied a group of men with the blood disease hemophilia and speculated that there would be about 150 new mutations in each human being. Now BBC reports that scientists have used next generation sequencing technology to produce a far more direct and reliable estimate of the number of mutations by looking at thousands of genes belonging to two Chinese men who are distantly related, having shared a common ancestor who was born in 1805. To establish the rate of mutation, the team examined an area of the Y chromosome which is unique because, apart from rare mutations, the Y chromosome is passed unchanged from father to son so mutations accumulate slowly over the generations. Despite many generations of separation, researchers found only 12 differences among all the DNA letters examined. The two Y chromosomes were still identical at 10,149,073 of the 10,149,085 letters examined."

18 of 309 comments (clear)

  1. Comes as no surprise.. by scalpod · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...to the SubGenius and Devo fans in the house.

    --
    If "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and "it was beauty that killed the beast" then "please stop staring at me".
  2. May I opt out on the yellow spandex? by jollyreaper · · Score: 3, Funny

    looks uncomfortable.

    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
    1. Re:May I opt out on the yellow spandex? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I for one, welcome us all! :)

    2. Re:May I opt out on the yellow spandex? by Beardo+the+Bearded · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hey, I was wearing yellow & spandex this morning, you insensitive clod!

      (I bike to work.)

      --

      ---
      ECHELON is a government program to find words like bomb, jihad, plutonium, assassinate, and anarchy.
    3. Re:May I opt out on the yellow spandex? by Adm.Wiggin · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's funny how you add "(I bike to work.)" as if that makes it less weird. :)

    4. Re:May I opt out on the yellow spandex? by Jurily · · Score: 4, Funny

      Everyone knows you can't ride a bike in your regular clothes. You have to look like a total moron.

    5. Re:May I opt out on the yellow spandex? by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Funny

      It is ... now fishnets on the other hand are quite comfy....

      Time to shock the family by dressing as Doctor Frank N furter again.....

      Nothing like making the parents of children run screaming from the house during Halloween night.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    6. Re:May I opt out on the yellow spandex? by mcpkaaos · · Score: 5, Funny

      That sound isn't whistling. What you are hearing is actually laughter distorted by the Doppler effect.

      --
      It goes from God, to Jerry, to me.
  3. Aha! Evidence.... by jdgeorge · · Score: 4, Funny

    And here we have scientific evidence that human mutation is working as Designed.

    Weird, I'm suddenly craving a bowl of spaghetti.

    1. Re:Aha! Evidence.... by natehoy · · Score: 4, Funny

      Don't forget, His Noodly Appendages must be served slightly al dente (unless you're an infidel who likes squishy appendages), and the proper attire is, of course, pirate.

      --
      "This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
    2. Re:Aha! Evidence.... by tomhudson · · Score: 4, Funny

      Sacrilege!

      The Fourth Council of Ristorante determined that there is no such thing as "slightly" al dente. It is al dente or not al dente; there is no in-between. The path to damnation is lined with compromise, and we'll have none of that here!

      Glory to his name, Ramen.

      Just throw it at the wall and see if it sticks - that's how all important decisions are made in politics, marketing (but I repeat myself), religion, the workplace ... if you used your noodle, you'd realize that!

    3. Re:Aha! Evidence.... by mcgrew · · Score: 3, Funny

      Sacrilege!

      Not as sacreligious as the evil Spagettios, the FSM's mortal enemy.

  4. Yay! Mutant Super Powers! by spun · · Score: 4, Funny

    My mutant super power is my ability to get depressed and lose focus. Oh man, I wish I'd gotten that cool one that gives you resistance to malaria and painfully inflamed fingers and toes. Mine seems kinda useless by comparison.

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  5. That cant be right by JustNiz · · Score: 4, Funny

    That cant be generally true otherwise all Chinese people would look identical. oh wait...

  6. Re:Quality reporting by HeronBlademaster · · Score: 3, Funny

    On behalf of everyone who has never seen SMBC before, allow me to say:

    Thank you.

    P.S.: I hate you.

    P.P.S.: If I lose my job over this, can I crash at your place?

  7. Try Alabama by SnarfQuest · · Score: 4, Funny

    Try this in Alabama, where they can use the terms wife,mother,and daughter interchangeably.

    --
    Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
  8. Re:X-Men 2 was wrong then? by loteck · · Score: 5, Funny

    I seem to remember them saying that the mutations come from the father, how women are mutants I don't know.

    I have shocking news for you, you may want to have a seat: women have fathers, just like men. Disturbing, I know.

  9. Re:Article title seems stupid to me by supernova_hq · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, I was thinking the same. The very idea of evolution is based on mutation, and Evolution requires it as well.

    Unless you live in Kansas......