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If you genetically modified human reproduction cells to have a bit of DNA from an electric eel, what would happen? Would you have no teeth? Would you be able to shoot lightning from your hands?

Another thing I thought of today was if you mixed the DNA of a bat, a Komodo dragon, make a special organ that allows creation of sparks and flammable substance of some sort and made it bigger with a growth ray, would you have a homemade dragon?

Just some weird things I think about...

DISCUSS.

DNA does not work that way. /discussion

What would actually happen is anyone's guess, though I would wager you'd wind up with a human embryo that was simply non-viable, due to bizarre mutations in its genome. Also, eels have teeth.

As for the 'dragon', it would probably collapse under its own weight due to the square-cube law (as size increases, mass increases SIGNIFICANTLY faster).

But perhaps, if you got bitten by a special electric eel (Peter Parker style), you would turn into the Human Tazer. _That_ would definitely revive the "Don't taze me, bro" jokes. And that alone would benefit all of humankind.

Aelcalan wrote:DNA does not work that way. /discussion

What would actually happen is anyone's guess, though I would wager you'd wind up with a human embryo that was simply non-viable, due to bizarre mutations in its genome. Also, eels have teeth.

As for the 'dragon', it would probably collapse under its own weight due to the square-cube law (as size increases, mass increases SIGNIFICANTLY faster).

Ok. I guess that is the end of the discussion.

BUT.

Also, eels have teeth.

I just learned today in class that they don't. To back it up:

The question that remains to be answered is, why does the electric eel have this strange ability? The answer is quite simple, the electric eel uses it ability to produce electricity to hunt for food. The charge from the eel kills its prey allowing the electric eel to swallow it. They need to do this because they have no teeth, and can only feed on prey that is not moving. Although the electric eel can produce large voltages it is the current that kills and not the voltage.

got owned

Isn't experimenting like that illegal?

jailbird556 wrote:Isn't experimenting like that illegal?

The Military has been trying to do this exact thing for quite some time now. It's their ultimate goal to create the perfect genetic super warrior.

Animal abuse foundations would frown upon it, but i think DNA splicing is legal if you have a permit and are authorized to do it... But on humans it's illegal.

But as was said, you can't just simply make the animal of your dreams with DNA, look how long it took scientists to clone a sheep, let alone alter ones DNA.

Start with E. coli.