Is It Possible To Get Superhero Powers?

(Photo : Pexels/Klaus Nielsen)
Is It Possible to Get Superhero Powers?

Most children have their favorite superheroes and with Science, it's possible to turn one into someone they dreamed of - someone with impressive skills and extraordinary talent. CRISPR technology could reportedly give one superpowers and this might happen in the future.

Is It Possible To Get Superhero Powers?

Superheroes in X-Men developed their power due to mutation that's why they are called mutants. According to the Science presented in the X-Men movie series, certain people are born with a mutation that makes dormant powers evident, generally during adolescence.

The X-Men characters have superpowers, possibly due to a genetic mutation. Wolverine has animal-keen senses, doesn't age and can heal himself. Apocalypse can control the molecules in his body and alter his physical form. Mystique can shape-shift into any person and copy their voice. Meanwhile, Storm can manipulate the weather.

X-Men carry an "X-gene," which gives them the superpower. While we do not have a real-life Wolverine, Apocalypse, Mystique or Storm, it might be possible to make one in the future using the CRISPR technology.

With the help of CRISPR technology, we may be able to steer evolution in the correct direction and speed it up on our own. We can now manipulate genetic material with greater precision than ever, thanks to gene editing, which is controlled by the CRISPR-Cas9 system.

Gene editing is possible with the use of CRISPR technology. CRISPR is a straightforward method for locating a particular DNA sequence inside a cell. Usually, the following step in CRISPR gene editing is to modify that specific DNA sequence.

The CRISPR system has been modified to perform additional tasks as well, including as turning genes on or off without changing their sequence. The capabilities of CRISPR are enormous, and maybe in the future, this technology may also allow for the replication of non-human skills.

Even if it were conceivable, performing genomic engineering on a superhuman scale is not necessary, but CRISPR has already developed a method that makes extremely precise intervention in the human genome possible.

However, the removal of flaws is what these possibilities are really about, not superpowers. Researchers are already attempting to eradicate sickle cell anemia and other monogenic illnesses like cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease.

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Humans With Superpowers

There are a few individuals with natural superpowers. They do not need to alter their genetics using CRISPR technology because they already bring something extraordinary into their existence.

Scott Flansburg from New York is dubbed the "human calculator." He can calculate numbers quickly. His MRI scan showed that an area of his brain usually associated with movements is used during calculations, rather than the cortical networks normally observed.

Steven Pete from Washington can't feel pain. While some might consider it a blessing, it seemed much of a curse because he had broken several bones and even chewed a part off his tongue due to insensitivity to pain. It turned out that he carries a genetic mutation in the SCN9A gene.

Daniel Browning Smith from Mississippi earned seven Guinness world records due to his flexibility. He is one of the world-renowned contortionists and this is in part due to his condition called Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which causes connectivity tissues to become loose and stretchy.