A term paper by Douglas Ramsey of Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters
[As discovered and edited by Joel Rea]

Mendel codified the principles of genetics, and indeed coined the term ‘gene.’ Charles Darwin theorized that mutations in genes cause changes in descendants which, if beneficial, can be naturally selected and thus gain preponderance and eventual dominance in future generations, advancing the species through the process of evolution.

Darwinian evolution, however, explains only minor changes that occur over several generations. Random mutations are almost always detrimental rather than beneficial. Beneficial mutations must happen over epochs or eras of time in order to accumulate sufficient change to result in a new species or major new characteristics.

Prior to the discovery of superhuman mutation in Homo Sapiens, it seemed that
Darwinian would completely supplant its then-discredited predecessor, Lamarckian evolution. Lamarck hypothesized that beneficial mutations were deliberately, albeitly subconsciously, selected by the species itself, or by some other controlling force. Sheldrake hypothesized such a force be called the ‘morphogenetic’ field.

But the phenomena of superhuman mutation tilted the balance. Darwinism is generally held to be discredited, as it simply cannot account for the rapid progression of mutation in H. Sapiens. Indeed, as C. and M. Xavier, M. MacTaggart, R. Richards, and others have shown, a whole new subspecies of humanity has formed within comparatively recent times-no more than a few millennia-to accommodate these mutations. While C. Xavier and MacTaggart consider this a subspecies, H. sapiens superior, M. Xavier prefers to classify it as a whole new species: H. superior. If he is right, then Darwinism is thoroughly discredited, since it cannot explain the formation of a whole new species within such a small number of generations. If C. Xavier is correct, the Darwinism is still seriously discredited.
Lamarckism now holds sway as the dominant theory of evolution. Darwinists hold that super-human mutants are not actually the result of evolution at all, nor of typical genetic mutation, but of some outside influence which does not affect normal evolution, and whose only known effect is the alteration of the human genome to accommodate such rapid and dramatic beneficial mutations. They point to the known existence of such sub-species as Momo sapiens inanthropo (commonly called "Inhuman"), H. sapiens mermanus, and others known to be the result of alien intervention (such as the Kree in the case of H. sapiens inanthropo), as well as the unproven existence of such human sub-species as the so-called Eternals and Deviants (as their existence has not yet been generally accepted by the scientific community, they have no official subspecies designation). The Darwinians hypothesize that similar intervention in prehistoric times may have resulted in the strange genetic manifestations seen today. Some go as far as to say that the same aliens (the so-called "Celestials") who allegedly created the Eternals and Deviants also caused the change in the genome of the dominant human species. This theory is still considered to be on the fringe.

But none of the hpotheses can explain the mutant power manifestations themselves. So many apparently violate laws of conservation of both mass and energy that Drs. H. Pym and R.B. Banner, among others, have urged that perhaps it is time that the laws of conservation were reexamined in the light of their own famous (albeit non-mutant) abilities, and those of many of their associates in their professions outside of academia.

I personally think such a move would be premature. The laws of mass and energy conservation are such fundamental laws, and they have served us so well for so long until the widespread discovery of superhuman abilities, that it would be devastating to virtually all branches of science to discard them now. Indeed, superhuman manifestations are the only empirical evidence available to date to suggest that these laws are not valid. Many super-human powers work within these laws, such as one mutant I know of whose only ability is the translation of languages.

But do any actually work outside these laws? Do any known superhuman manifestations, mutant or otherwise, actually break the laws of conservation? Perhaps not. I’ve studied this problem recently from both a biological and a quantum physics point of view, and I believe I have a hypothesis which can explain virtually all of the energy/mass manifestations of various mutant and non-mutant superhuman powers within the laws of conservation.

Albert Einstein gave us the formula for converting mass to energy and back: the famous E=MC2 . Anything which appears to generate energy is actually converting mass into energy. For instance, the sun is converting thousands of tons of its mass per second. A candle is converting tiny amounts of hydrocarbons in wax into light and heat (infrared) energy. Even the normal human metabolism converts carbohydrates and other fuels, along with oxygen, into energy via the ADP-ATP reaction within our cells, which powers all of the normal manifestations of life: our ability to move, think, see, speak, and even eat and breathe, as well as reproduce ourselves. The energy thus produced within our own bodies produces heat as well, which is why we have an average body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius.

But no amount of carbohydrate metabolism, or ADP-ATP chemical reaction, can explain the prodigious amounts of energy wielded by many mutants. One of the more famous members of the X-Men, for instance, constantly emits what appear to be visible beams of force from his eyes. How can this be? Is this ability were powered by metabolism, he would have starved to death seconds after his power began to manifest. Do we indeed have to discard the laws of conservation of mass and energy to explain this?

No. In the case of mutants, despite the extreme variety of manifestations available, something must be common to all of them. How do we know this? One mutant, whose power is to instantly know how to build any device to accomplish any purpose he wishes without necessarily knowing how the device works, used his power to invent a mutant detector. Earlier detectors were also rumored to exist. The device has been demonstrated to be 100 percent accurate; it has never indicated mutanthood in a non-mutant, nor failed to indicate mutanthood in a known mutant. In a few cases, it indicated mutanthood in people who were not known to be mutants, but all of them later turned out to be latent mutants. How can a single device detect mutanthood regardless of the power manifestation?
Whether the person emits beams of concussive force from his eyes, or translates languages, or invents devices, or controls the weather, the device will detect if they are or are not a mutant. Non-mutants with mutant-like powers do not fool the detector. How does it know?

But more importantly, where do the prodigious quantities of energy wielded by some mutants come from? For the answer to this, we turn to the doctoral dissertation of Dr. James Power "Antimatter Production by Spin Reversals in Proton/Antiproton Pairs." The mathematics are comples, but necessary to the complete understanding of the hypothesis:

[Editor’s Note: mathematical equations deleted for reasons of national security]

Thus we see that matter can be converted to antimatter on a small scale. These equations were later proven to have a serious flaw, in which the reaction, uncontrolled, can convert all matter within range into antimatter, which extends the range of the reaction, and so on until all contiguous mass (say, a planet) is converted. Fortunately, Dr. Power;s theory was never put to a physical test. But apparently there is a way for the reaction to be controlled, and occur on a small scale. While I cannot go into detail, at least one known extraterrestrial race does this for their own energy supplies.

My hypothesis is that this reaction can be controlled if managed on an extremely small scale, so that the range of the reaction never exceeds one atomic nucleus radius at any one time. This is similar in concept to the cold fusion reactions pioneerede by Dr. Richards and Dr. Pym and perfected by Anthony Stark, which have been in us for several years, notably in the Guardsmen and perhaps even the Iron Man armors produced by Stark’s various companies, as well as other devices such as many of Dr. Richard’s vehicles and the Avengers Quinjets. But antimatter reactions, even on such a tiny scale, are far more efficient than even nuclear fusion, 100 percent of the mass involved is converted directly into energy.

In normal living cells, tiny suc-sellular creatures called mitochondria perform the actual cellular metabolism, processing the oxygen and fuels into energy via the ADP�‡ATP reaction. In H. sapiens superior, it is actually the mitochondria which are mutated, causing them to be capable of performing controlled nucleonic spin reversals, annihilating them against unconverted nucleons (protons and neutrons), and making the energy available to the rest of the cell. Each mitochondrion can process only one nucleon/antinucleon pair at a time, and the mitochondrion itself isolates the reaction from spreading further. This is extremely fortunate, or the first superhuman mutant would have annihilated herself, taking the planet with her. Despite this limitation, there are many trillions of mitochondria in a typical human body. If we assume that this mutation involves even a large percentage of them in a typical H. sapiens superior, we have energy sufficient to power the NYC power grid continuously, meeting even most peak demands.

All of the manifestations of superhuman powers, by this simple mechanism, can now be explained. Here is sufficient energy-and more than sufficient-to explain even the most powerful mutant manifestations ever observed. (The only one requiring more power than that was later revealed to be a cosmic being in the guise of a mutant). Mutations in certain specific cells process this energy for the specific manifestations of the particular mutant. For instance, the cone cells in the retina of one of the mutants refered to earlier convert this gamma energy into gravitons and red light, which are constantly emitted. The redlight is simply a side effect, causing the visible beam effect similar to a laser, while the gravitons do the actual imparting of physical impact in the target.

Other mutants can, by virtue of their mutated cells, convert the vast energy produced by their mitochondria into matter. One known mutant can actually create duplicates of himself, perhaps through this or a similar mechanism.
Also, the fact that the energy-producing mutation is actually in the mitochondrial DNA and not in the human DNA explains why, in every known case to date, mutant powers have only been transmitted through the mother. As is now well known (re: the discovery of the mitochondrial Eve), mitochondrial DNA in only transmitted only through the mother, as sperm cells have no mitochondria. In the only known case wherein two mutants have married and had offspring, the offspring in both this timeline and an alternate timeline known to them have been duplicated powers similar only to the mother, not the father. In another case wherein a male mutant married a female H. sapien inanthropo, the resulting child was H. sapien, with no powers or genetic anomalies whatsoever.

A hormone produced by the thymus gland (located in the upper chest just below the thyroid gland) inhibits the spin-reversal function of the mutated mitochondrial DNA. In H. sapiens as well as H. sapiens superior, the thymus gland is known to function only in childhood. Its purpose in H. sapiens is still unknown. The thymus gland becoes inactice at puberty. This explains the onset of most mutant power manifestations at puberty. It also explains how another device built by the inventor mutant mentioned earlier could seem to nullify mutant powers, regardless of their type. It actually reactivates the thymus gland in the adult, causing it to rwesume its production of the spin-reversal-inhibiting hormone, and therefore cutting off the mutant energies at their source.

In closing, I must say that all this is still hypothetical. I do not have the resources to properly test it. I have contacted Dr. MacTaggart, and she has found this hypothesis most interesting and has proposed some experiments to put it to the test. But these will probably have to wait until Charles Xavier returns from his sabbatical.

Douglas Aaron Ramsey, Sophomore
Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters

Young Mr. Ramsey handed this term paper to me, but he never saw the "A" it earned him. That very weekend, he was fatally shot in a tragic accident when he and several of his fellow students went on a bird-hunting expedition. As you can see, though his major was linguistics, all fields of science suffered a tremendous loss in the death of this truly brilliant young man.
Rest in peace, Douglas. You earned it.
Michael Magnus Xavier
Temporary Headmaster
Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters

[Editor’s note: this term paper was found by Joel Rea, who appears to a mutant with the ability to travel between two multiverses, such as between the Marvel Universe and our own universe. He currently resides in our own universe (he says the unvierses inhabited by superhuman beings are "too dangerous"), and keeps up with events in the other universes by way of comic books in ours. He has been the Asst, SysOp on the Comics Roundtable of the Genie modem service]

You know I had to comment on this one!!!!

First, the paper proposes that there is only one accepted theory of
evolution. This is not the case. In addition to Darwinism, there is
Punctuated Equilibrium (or Punk E. for short). This theory holds that
extreme events can cause greatly accelerated evolution. Of course, since
there was no event like this pre-dating mutant ability, this is doubtfully
the case (unless they came here from an alternate reality that experienced
such a catastrophy).

Additionally, the theory that Darwinism cannot be true is incorrect.
First let's assume that mutant ability is exceedingly rare. Until recent
history, mass communication was not possible. If you never see a mutant, you
have no reason to think they exist. Those mutants documented could be
dismissed as mythology ot superstition.

Also, darwin evolution only functions when there is a selective
advantage. This is obviously not the case for all mutants. For example, is
having a laser shooting out of your eyes 24/7 an advantage? And if you look
funny, superstitous man might either kill you (kill the beast!) or force you
into isolation (no reproduction). If you do have a power that you can hide,
it might be in your interest to do so. Otherwise, they might hang you as a
witch. Furthermore, there may be some other undocumented down side to being
a mutant. For example, purhaps they require a little more more food to
function. Looking at the comics, one could assume that most mutants are poor
at storing fat. This could be terribly disadvantagous when food is scarce.
There is also the possibility that there is an environmental factor
required for mutant ability, that has only occurred recently. For example,
modern man's industrialization and destruction of trees has created an
abundance of ozone in near the earth and a lack of it higher in the
atmosphere. What if mutant mitichondria have two energy paths, the normal
one and the mutant one. Perhaps, the mutant one produces energy from ozone
rather than oxygen!

Speaking of mitochondria, interesting theory. However I would question
the actual manifestation of powers. First of all, all mitichondria do is
produce energy, not manipuilate it. That fuction is handled by the remainder
of our cells. If there is no change in the cellular DNA, how would the cells
handle that much energy? For example cyclops would burn his own eyes out.
Second, the idea that mutants have mutant mitochondria only in certain
organs has implecations on reproduction. These sorts of mutations are called
somatic mutations, as opposed to reproductive mutations. Reproductive
mutations occur in a reproductive cell (such as sperm and egg). The
resulting zygote prolifferates such that every cell in the individual has
the mutation.

In somatic mutations, the change occurs in a group of cells during the
course of development or in a fully developed individual (such as UV
exposure creating a skin cancer cell). Somatic mutations are not inheritable
and cannot be passed on to offspring, unless the mutation occurs in the
gonads.

I'm sure this all is much more than any of you wanted to know and I'll
sign off now...

Philip

P.S. Did Lucas read this paper before thinking up "mitoclorians"?

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