Radio-Mimetic Chemicals

For mankind as a whole, a possession infinitely more valuable than individual life is our genetic heritage, our link with past and future. Shaped through long aeons of evolution, oru genes not only make us what we are, but hold in their minute beings the future – be it one of promise or threat. Yet generic deterioration through man-made agents is the menace of our time, ‘the last and greatest danger to our civilization.’ Again, the parallel between chemicals and radiation is exact and...

 Resistance to Insecticides and Herbicides as Evolution

Still other species have adapted via selection to human-caused changes in their environment. Insects have become resistant to DDT and other pesticides, plants have adapted to herbicides, and fungi, worms, and algae have evolved resistance to heavy metals that have polluted their environment. There almost always seem to be a few individuals with lucky mutations that allow them to survive and reproduce, quickly evolving a sensitive population into a resistant one. We can then make a reasonable ...