I've been thinking today at work (I'm a delivery driver, so I have time to think) about a premise for a story.

It would revolve around 6 or so convicts that are experimented on with gene-splicing or dna splicing. I have decided that the DNA would come from dinosaurs, big cats, bears and other animals.

Now the question is: How would I try to explain most of the science behind this, or just try to get around it with dialogue or what? I was thinking just using dialogue and explaining it that way to who was being experimented on.

Would that work?

Just wondering. If you need clarification, just let me know.

Thanks for the heads up Isaiah.

I think you'll get an audience for this, but it wouldn't include me: DNA is a blueprint for how to construct an animal, not for renovating one that already exists!

I suppose the evil scientists could develop some new technique OTHER than simply bringing in animal DNA, to make people turn into dino-men and bear-men. But what would be the point?

There have been people who believed that if they could eat a lion's heart, they would obtain the lion's courage. So if someone could incorporate some lion DNA it might make them "brave as a lion."

Chameleon DNA could help someone blend in with his surroundings, as another example.

I think I might go the route Jeraliey suggested.

Wbriggs: Why wouldn't you read a story like it?? I think it might make a decent story.

Well, the purpose it to give them qualities that they can use for what they're assigned to do. That's the thinking anyway. But I was also thinking of giving them the ability to morph/change into what animal that they were given. That sort of thing.

But if I were to do it within a fantasy setting, it would be a different story altogether.

But that's me.

Ok here's another question.

Do you think it would be better as a sci-fi story or as a fantasy?

(I can see where it could be good as a fantasy piece. I might be able to do both and see which one is better.)

Thanks

Rule one of genetic engineering: genes basically code for proteins/enzymes that will be produced within a cell.

Just write your story and worry about what category it falls into later. I think it would end up better if you never explain the 'how', but keep the story believable. If the characters can transform into an animal, then it will be more fantasy than scifi. If it only gives them permanent animal features or abilities then it would be easier to swallow as a scientific change.

The kids turn into animals because of alien technology, but the morphing power, as it was called, never was explained except that when a person touches an animal then they absorb the DNA creating an image inside of their DNA.

When "science" gets skewed that way, it seems more to me like fantasy than SF, just fantasy with DNA.

Most people seem not to care though, and just suspend disbelief simply because they're reading spec fiction.

Humans and chimpanzees have different numbers of chromosomes, so if you were to successfully interbreed them it is not the case that you would get something in between, but probably something less functional than either.

I do have a possible setting where scientists try using anucleated chimp eggs to cultivate clone DNA. Hmm, I just thought of another direction that could go. Quite a nasty one. Part of what I explore in that area is the possibility that there are intracellular bodies that are as important to interpreting our DNA as the DNA itself. In my story, most of the clones turn out fine, but about 5 percent can't reproduce and the error isn't noticed for a long time. They would be humans with the chimp number of chromosomes.

Another idea was that scientists created some chimp/human hybrids that were never intended to be born, but some pro-life terrorists "liberated" them - not knowing they were part ape. They would be the chimps with the human number of chromosomes.

P.S. could you edit your subject so I know that I've already read this thread? Otherwise I may have to start eschewing the vague leading question type threads again.

Changing DNA is most commonly done through a retrovirus that is "programmed" to rewrite a particular section of the DNA. Since it is a virus, there are other possible situation that should be taken into concideration. The virus might mutate during the process and make changes no one wanted. The most probable outcome of a mutation would be the death of the intended subject. The virus could be killed off by the body's immune system before the change was completed. The result of that could be the subject's immune system attacking the changed portions, or attacking the portions not changed. There is also the possibility that the virus could have been created incorrectly and it changes the wrong part of the DNA, which would most likely result in death...but could come up with some interesting possibilities.

The biggest problem with mutating animal dna with human dna is the incompatibility of the dna strands. Since a cat's dna is vastly different than a human's dna, a hacking of the structure would be required to splice them together. Doing this in a grown adult would more than likely be painful, if not fatal. Growing an modified embryo would have greater chances of success than modifying a living person.

Also there would be a whole list of problems to deal with from a psycological aspect. If someone wakes up one day and sees things through cat eyes, how will thier brain handle it? Could a human brain deal with that form of change?