I think it’s possible that traditional wizards don’t even know what genes are, and imagine inheritance is literally about blood. Halfbloods and muggleborns would know about the existence of the genetic code, but considering the pathetic state of wizarding education, they would understand it less than the average muggle, which is a low bar indeed. Even if a Severus Snape of genetics comes along to study magical inheritance intelligently, wizards will keep on babbling about muddy blood. Good thing we fans have the brilliant scientist Sunnyskywalker to research the subject for us.
Heh, the whole process of writing this was me realizing just how complex the subject is and how little I know. (Not a scientist, don't play one on TV either!) I mean, I knew genetics was complex, but trying to read up on it really makes you appreciate how much so. Luckily the "it's complicated" factor works in our favor. I think
( ... )
/Mendel did his experiments on pea plants... *checks* over 150 years ago. Have wizards even made it that far?/
When it comes to wizards and muggle technology I like to think about them as aliens from alternative reality where laws of physics works in different way. They don't understand how muggle technology works, they sometimes manage to tinker with it and add their own spin, but generally messing around with it is frowned upon because the results can be dangerous for everybody involved.
That being said wizards isolating themselves from muggles should cause them to develop differently when it comes to technology. Maybe they never delve into genetics, but have unique understanding of black matter? It's a shame we get to explore this universe from high-scholler's POV ;P
I don't want to give anyone headaches, but does anyone have any idea how Hagrid managed to create his Frankensteinian monsters? Manticores and Fire Crabs sounds as highly incompatible pair for cross-breeding. If anything I would expect Manticore to eat the crab.
It would make sense and be really cool if they did understand certain subjects really well. Depending on how their various forms of instantaneous transportation work, maybe they know a lot about the structure of the universe? Like, they know all the weird theoretical physics things that explain how really these bits of the universe are touching in ways we can't perceive but magic can let you use. Like the Flatlanders who can't see in three dimensions but could pop through if their flat land was folded back on itself--they would see it as suddenly vanishing and appearing somewhere far away.
Magical breeding must be really weird. Even if you could use artificial insemination, how are manticores and fire crabs even compatible enough to have offspring? Are they actually as closely related as donkeys and horses? Or can you do something with magic to make ordinarily-incompatible gametes join into a viable zygote? Does it only work with highly magical animals, or could they make cat-dogs and cat-parrots if they wanted?
I wonder how location and lifestyle has influence on magical capability of parents' future children. In fact I would love to see a few studies: -A heat map of muggleborns with focus on where they prenatally developed and later grew up. -Correlation between location of pureblood/halfblood families and how "magical" their kids are -A study of circumstance of muggleborn's parents childhood.
Perhaps certain environments and parent's life-styles encourage child's magical genes to turn on/off?
Oh yeah, that would be fascinating! Is the rate of Squib births lower in Hogsmeade than in Halifax? Did the Black family produce more Squibs after they moved from wherever their ancestral home was before that nice, modern London townhouse plumbed for gaslights was built? Do Muggle-borns come from families who traditionally practiced certain professions more often than chance would allow? Is there a dietary influence? Does living next to a wizarding family increase one's own children's magical ability even if there is no interaction between the families?
Surely some scholar has at least made a preliminary map of known magical springs and whatnot which they can use as one of the map layers for comparison.
/Does living next to a wizarding family increase one's own children's magical ability even if there is no interaction between the families?/
...Would that mean that living around magical family is equivalent to living in irradiated area? I can see a total chaos the moment muggle government realises this and informs the public about WW existence.
Hogwarts must be like the magical equivalent of an open nuclear waste pit. I wonder if Filch's magical ability has strengthened a tiny bit over the years he's lived there?
Muggles learning of the wizarding world can't go well. "They've wiped our minds how many times? To cover up how many times they've attacked us for fun? Well, let's see how their magic deals with thermal imaging cameras and snipers!"
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Good thing we fans have the brilliant scientist Sunnyskywalker to research the subject for us.
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When it comes to wizards and muggle technology I like to think about them as aliens from alternative reality where laws of physics works in different way. They don't understand how muggle technology works, they sometimes manage to tinker with it and add their own spin, but generally messing around with it is frowned upon because the results can be dangerous for everybody involved.
That being said wizards isolating themselves from muggles should cause them to develop differently when it comes to technology. Maybe they never delve into genetics, but have unique understanding of black matter?
It's a shame we get to explore this universe from high-scholler's POV ;P
I don't want to give anyone headaches, but does anyone have any idea how Hagrid managed to create his Frankensteinian monsters? Manticores and Fire Crabs sounds as highly incompatible pair for cross-breeding. If anything I would expect Manticore to eat the crab.
Reply
Magical breeding must be really weird. Even if you could use artificial insemination, how are manticores and fire crabs even compatible enough to have offspring? Are they actually as closely related as donkeys and horses? Or can you do something with magic to make ordinarily-incompatible gametes join into a viable zygote? Does it only work with highly magical animals, or could they make cat-dogs and cat-parrots if they wanted?
Reply
-A heat map of muggleborns with focus on where they prenatally developed and later grew up.
-Correlation between location of pureblood/halfblood families and how "magical" their kids are
-A study of circumstance of muggleborn's parents childhood.
Perhaps certain environments and parent's life-styles encourage child's magical genes to turn on/off?
Reply
Surely some scholar has at least made a preliminary map of known magical springs and whatnot which they can use as one of the map layers for comparison.
Reply
...Would that mean that living around magical family is equivalent to living in irradiated area?
I can see a total chaos the moment muggle government realises this and informs the public about WW existence.
Reply
Muggles learning of the wizarding world can't go well. "They've wiped our minds how many times? To cover up how many times they've attacked us for fun? Well, let's see how their magic deals with thermal imaging cameras and snipers!"
Reply
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