One of the jobs of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission was to
ID: 15283 • Letter: O
Question
One of the jobs of the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission was to assess the genetic consequences of the blast. One of the first things that they studied was the sex ratio in the offspring of the survivors. Why do you suppose they did this?Explanation / Answer
During the time, little whas known of radiation and its affects in human body. X (women) and Y(men) sex-cromosomes are different in size. By examing the offspring gives clue about the radiations affect on DNA ( more errors--> more misscarriage) Spermatogenesis might also alter, because Y-cromosome is smaller, and possibly has fewer mistakes due radiation. More healthier cells ( ones with fewer mistaces in genome) tend to survive as the altered genes perish. So if suddenly the quantity of male infants rises, it gives clue that the Spermatogenesis is altered, and X-cromosomes have more errors and leads to miscarriage. Same kind of affect can be found in airplane pilots when the g-forces are less destructive to X cells than Y. and they have more female offspring.
Related Questions
Navigate
Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.