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Soot causes Mutation?

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rosborne979
 
Reply Fri 14 May, 2004 03:04 pm
A recent report shows that soot can cause genetic mutation. First of all, this is pretty amazing. Apparently the particles can get all the way down in the sperm production sequence and mess things up.

This being the case, I wonder if asteroid impacts which result in lots of soot and microscopic particles, could also be a precursor to an increase in mutation for those species which survive the strike.

I didn't even know it was possible for particulate matter to induce genetic changes which can be passed on to the next generation.
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 933 • Replies: 9
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Noddy24
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 May, 2004 04:39 pm
You really want to worry?

Eventually in the ocean plastic breaks down into microscopic indigestable units which are being eaten by plankton and dinner by dinner are inching up the food chain.....
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roger
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 May, 2004 05:54 pm
Not too surprised, rosborne. Maybe I'm thinking of black lung, but I seem to recall soot having some sort of role in cancer of something or other.
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fishin
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 May, 2004 06:58 pm
Re: Soot causes Mutation?
rosborne979 wrote:
This being the case, I wonder if asteroid impacts which result in lots of soot and microscopic particles, could also be a precursor to an increase in mutation for those species which survive the strike.


I thought that had been proven to be the case long ago???? I vaugely recall watching a show on Nova some years ago where they compared large asteriod impacts and noted the rate of mutations that occured afterward spiked shortly after each.
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Acquiunk
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 May, 2004 07:04 pm
It doubt there is a one to one correlation with mutations and impact soot. Large impacts clear the field and mutations that in the normal course of events would be submerged by the plethora of "normal" phenotypes suddenly have a much better chance to reproduce and succeed.
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Zedd
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 May, 2004 04:29 pm
Hi there! You know this is sooo fascinating. Since I am a huge environment activist, I really believe that this is the major reason that ppl should watch what they litter! Ahhh! We will die!
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fishin
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 May, 2004 05:18 pm
Zedd wrote:
Hi there! You know this is sooo fascinating. Since I am a huge environment activist, I really believe that this is the major reason that ppl should watch what they litter! Ahhh! We will die!


Newsflash - We're all gonna die anyway! Wink
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rosborne979
 
  1  
Reply Mon 17 May, 2004 07:06 pm
Re: Soot causes Mutation?
fishin' wrote:
I thought that had been proven to be the case long ago???? I vaugely recall watching a show on Nova some years ago where they compared large asteriod impacts and noted the rate of mutations that occured afterward spiked shortly after each.


Hmmm, I had understood that introduction of new species seemed to occur after impacts, but I had always thougth that it was a result of the change in environment allowing new variations to fill new niches, not that it was related to an increase in the mutation rate. Did the show you remember specifically state that it postulated an increase in mutation, or was it just noting that new species flourished in newly exposed habitats?
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fishin
 
  1  
Reply Tue 18 May, 2004 06:13 am
From what I recall they said that there were a lot of very small mutations in plant life around the impact area. The thing that I rcall the most was they claimed that there were thousands of small mutations but that most of them weakened the species and most all of the mutated lines died off. Only a few mutations could survive the post-impact world so when they looked at an impact area they would see a lot of odd strains of plant life that were isolated to that specific area and were only there for a short period of time.
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Zedd
 
  1  
Reply Tue 18 May, 2004 08:20 am
Haha, fishin,
that was pretty good!
I for one don't really think about death (that much anyways). Hahaha.
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