by Lisa Lightman

 

So, we are all bits of really tiny and complicated sciency shit. I love it. It’s like being a universe. Maybe we are. Maybe we are the tiny, complicated bits of our universe.

There is order and chaos in every aspect of everything, whether our universe or OUR universe. You know—US. The order keeps things in line, while the chaos keeps it interesting. So, let’s talk CHAOS.

Mutations are CHAOS in action. And most of the time, it is not on a level that actually affects our existence; it seems neutral. We could speculate about what kind of chaos neutral mutations cause on a level beyond our understanding, but that is a novel of a different color.  When mutations are harmful, they cause diseases like Sickle Cell Disease or Down Syndrome. Beneficial ones cause cool shit like super vision (Tetrachromacy) and the genetic adaptation to living in extremely high altitudes and extreme cold. You know, evolution: survival of the most adaptable—like the tuskless elephants that are now evolving in response to poaching. Is that thumbing your nose, er trunk, or what? How exciting to watch evolution happening in real time!

As a writer, this stuff is so freaking much fun to play with and explore! We humans are the most destructive, abusive, and violent species to ever exist on this planet. (Feel free to disagree if you have some secret science alien knowledge to share. Another love for another article.)   We are causing our own extinction, along with that of all other life of this dying rock. This brings up the whole genetic mutation thing. Will we evolve through the destruction? What if we change future generations to live in the world we are destroying? Buy humans a little more time? What would that even look like? I seriously want your opinions on this, so please let your imagination run free a bit and get back to me. I’ll wait…..

My series, The Spirits of Change, focuses on the accidental/deliberate mutation of life on earth through a complicated (or maybe not so complicated) interaction between alien exposure and human interference. While my mutations are fun and fanciful mixes of animal and plant DNA with humans remaining ‘on top,’ I still hope to explore the notion of human interference, destruction, adaptation, and survival. I hope you come along with me on this fun adventure-mystery-romance with sex. (Let’s not forget the sex. We do love sex.) Could be you will find some point of evolution for your own thoughts and take a leap into the unknown. Humans are humans—and we do what we do.

But, maybe, just maybe, we could do better?

I’d love to hear how you think we’ll evolve—or won’t evolve! What does your imagination say about it?