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Science Section => Science General Discussion => Biology, Psychology & Medicine => Topic started by: baddogma on March 05, 2013, 11:32:59 AM

Title: "Random mutations" seems too....random.
Post by: baddogma on March 05, 2013, 11:32:59 AM
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/ ... nutrition/ (http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/nutrition/)
Title: Re: "Random mutations" seems too....random.
Post by: BarkAtTheMoon on March 05, 2013, 02:20:45 PM
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Title: Re: "Random mutations" seems too....random.
Post by: moog on March 05, 2013, 10:00:26 PM
Quote from: "baddogma"http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/nutrition/

This article says nothing about mutation... random or otherwise.
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Post by: Thumpalumpacus on March 06, 2013, 02:02:03 AM
So, what's going on in this thread?
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Post by: baddogma on March 06, 2013, 05:19:13 PM
It just shows diet can influence genes, along with other factors. I think we would see a lot more freaks being selected from if mutations were just "random". This almost seems intelligent.....without the consciousness if you follow.
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Post by: PopeyesPappy on March 06, 2013, 05:26:35 PM
Lot's of things going on in evolution beyond random mutations that we are just beginning to learn about. (viral insertions)
Title: Re: "Random mutations" seems too....random.
Post by: GurrenLagann on March 11, 2013, 11:05:48 PM
Some of the mutations that are random are exactly what makes you not identical to your siblings, so there is definitely randomness in there.
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Post by: Davka on March 12, 2013, 11:06:35 AM
This confusion is the result of bad science fiction, in which "mutation" is synonymous with "physical change." The vast majority of genetic mutations have no effect whatsoever on the phenotype.
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Post by: bennyboy on March 14, 2013, 06:52:08 PM
I don't think "random" is really a good word.  They aren't necessarily random.  They are just unpredictable.
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Post by: Colanth on March 14, 2013, 09:25:15 PM
Many mutations, being caused by things like cosmic ray hits, are as random as anything can be.  But mutation is just a small part of evolution.