Another 3 minutes of fame
Oct. 19th, 2017 03:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bunsen_hCBC Radio's national science show "Quirks and Quarks" usually ends with a question from a listener, answered by a specialist that the show has found. This weekend's question is from me:
I've sent them a couple of questions before, and no doubt will come up with others interesting enough for a national audience. Really, if one has a Ph.D. in science, if one can't come up with weird questions at the drop of a hat, something is very wrong.
The show is scheduled for broadcast on Saturday Oct. 21st from noon to 1 p.m., and will also be available as a podcast.
Given all of the TV shows and movies about "mutants", I've been wondering: what proportion of humans are really mutants? That is, having at least one gene that's different from the genes of either parent? Or, depending on the genetic error/damage rates, how many "mutant" genes does a person have, on average?I'm looking forward to hearing what they come up with. I've been irritated by the repeated stuff about "we have this amazing machine that detects all of the mutants in the world". Even if one goes with a stricter definition that the genetic change must have observable consequences.
I've sent them a couple of questions before, and no doubt will come up with others interesting enough for a national audience. Really, if one has a Ph.D. in science, if one can't come up with weird questions at the drop of a hat, something is very wrong.
The show is scheduled for broadcast on Saturday Oct. 21st from noon to 1 p.m., and will also be available as a podcast.
