Could a Designer Virus Turn You Into a Monster?

[Why Syzygy]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/research/4302511.html

Viruses are back terrorizing victims on Fringe, and they're as vicious as ever. Two weeks ago mysterious killers used super-size cold viruses—and questionable science—to murder prominent epidemiologists, and in last night's episode, "The Transformation," a deadly virus turned its victims into unrecognizable monsters. The first victim is flying on a plane when the change starts as a nosebleed, and then kicks into high-gear when he convulses and huge spines shoot out of this back. Once the man becomes a half porcupine/half wolfman, he terrorizes the plane until it crashes. The Fringe team finds his body at the crash site, so mangled that rescue workers thought he was an animal, not a human.

According to lab analysis by Walter and Peter Bishop, the mad scientist and his son, the transformation is caused by a "designer virus" that completely re-wrote the victim's DNA, changing all the internal organs and turning him into a monster. Fringe gets at least one part of the case correct when Peter says, "this stuff doesn't exist in nature."
~snip~

Could a Virus Rewrite Your DNA?
But what about the genetics claim in "The Transformation," that the virus mutates the host's DNA to change its host into monsters? There is a speck of real science in there, says Harvard University virologist Donald Coen. Retroviruses, the class that includes HIV, use the DNA in their host cell to replicate, then leave behind their genetic information in the host. "There are lots of examples in animals," he says. And Coen says it is possible to manipulate retroviruses. Some scientists hope to use them as a vehicle to get genetic material into cells, he says, by piggybacking the useful material onto the virus and then allowing the virus to copy its genetic material into the cell.

However, that kind of research is in early stages, Coen says. And though Peter Bishop says during "The Transformation" that a person would need to know cutting-edge genetics to create the killer virus, Coen says the Fringe scenario is far past the real capabilities of current genetic engineering—no virus could rewrite your entire genetic code.

~more at link

March 2009 PM has an insert about the "Human Machine" (bio-engineering) I cannot find it online.

[Hardrada]

1. Is that what happened to Cheney?

[applegrove]

2. Strep throat already can turn people OCD overnight. And they can behave monstrously.

Fiction is not too far from the truth.

[Why Syzygy]

4. That is a nasty one.

I didn't think I was dying. Thought I had. This can't be 'human'!

[applegrove]

10. Were you/are you OCD? Did you feel like you were dying? I can barely imagine

how it feels to be that angry/afraid. But unfortunately I can imagine feeling angry/afraid cause I've been through hell too. Though I could control when the venting occurred.

[Why Syzygy]

11. No OCD symptoms.

I just laid flat in bed for four days. Moved once to call the doctor's office to make sure I was still alive. Did you have that experience?

[applegrove]

12. Don't think I ever had strep throat. If I did it just acted like a tiny cold.

I mostly was flat on my back because as a smoker I would always get bronchitis. Now I don't smoke. And for once I am cold free this year. Didn't even get a flu shot.

I thought you were describing OCD symptoms. Sometimes they feel like they are about to die if they don't do the compulsion.

[ZombieHorde]

3. That's the dream.

[dmallind]

5. Ermmm....it's not supposed to be a realistic show.

And it fulfills that intent quite well.

[Why Syzygy]

6. This is about viri

not the show.

Popular Mechanics has it under "Science"/"Health and Medicine".
Guess they screwed up. :eyes:

[dmallind]

8. I understand, but I mean that the show does not

give a realistic portrayal of the actions of a virus. A virus cannot make that kind of macro-level change in the infected.

Popular Mechanics has what under science/health and medicine? Viri? Then no they didn't screw up. Fringe? Still didn't screw up as long as the added "fiction" after the title listed. If not then yes they screwed up.

[Why Syzygy]

9. All's well, then.

It looks to me like an EXAMINATION of a scenario presented on the show compared to fact/reality.

Fringe should indicate to alert readers that it is the name of something, as in fictional television show.

But, I'm willing to help out if needed. It's FICTION! Related to current technological bio-engineering.

[theoldman]

7. If a virus could cause a mutation its effect would take many generations.

The elephant man was the closes we have seen in a person becoming a monster. It took many years for him to change physically.

[Liberal Veteran]

13. Not only viruses, but space anomalies, and exceeding warp 10 can turn you into a monster.

(sorry, couldn't resist a Star Trek moment)

[Why Syzygy]

14. I'm pretty sure Star Trek

moments are all irresistible :D

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. So true! :^D