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As I recall, you generally see some relativly common (in relation to mammals, I mean) mutations like this among reptiles. Two headed snakes, for instance. I don't know much about biology or genetics, but don't reptiles have pretty adaptive DNA?
Of course, humans have a whole array of birth defects possible. I don't think it's a sign of the end of the world, I think it's just that the population has become so large and communications so good that we are now more aware of them. For instance, a hundred years ago it is unlikely that a child with severe spina bifida would survive. Now they do, and due to communications we know that it is a relativly common birth defect caused by a lack of folic acid during pregnancy. 6 billion plus people gives an astoundingly diverse genetic pool, meaning that birth defects that used to be one in a million (meaning that one person in an entire city might have it) are still one in a million, but with 6 billion people that means there are 6000 people with it.
As for animals...deformed animals are always a good case for cutting down on pollution, and the like, and thus make good publicized causes if their deformities can be linked to a local source of radiation/pollution/toxic waste/whatever. I'm sure there are incredibly extensive mutations among animals that we haven't even discovered yet becuase the birth rate of said species is so low, or the species is so spread out, that we've yet to see it.
...I gotta agree, though, that that toad is really fucking creepy. Brrrr. |
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