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November 10, 2009

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Letter: Mutations theory lacking in logic

Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002 | 8:49 a.m.

I found Ron Bourgoin's concern (in his Dec. 6 letter) about radiation-induced mutant bacteria and viruses at Yucca Mountain interesting but lacking in logic.

Radiation and radioactive materials have been around since the Big Bang about 12 billion years or so, and viruses and bacteria here on Earth for something like 3 billion or 4 billion years. You would think that in that length of time and that amount of exposure most of your "Frankenstein" bacteria and viruses would have come and gone.

The truth be told, the vast majority of radiation-induced mutations are non-viable -- they cannot reproduce. Those that did survive became ... us, and everything we see around us today. I guess in 4 billion years "monsters" can be created.

OSCAR R. FICK JR. Pahrump

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