Mutants

Mutants, mutations, people with special powers over and above what "normal" people can do are the bread and butter of Sci Fi.
Why are we so enthralled by this idea? Why are Superman, Batman, the Fantastic Four, X-Men, Mutant X and hundreds of other heroes and their equally formidable foes so appealing? Are we not satisfied with the albeit limited but still growing human abilities we do possess or could it be a yearning combined with the suspicion that we are capable of a whole lot more than our five senses and mundaine life provides?
We want more, there is no doubt about that. Obviously, we can imagine more. Of what use is this ability to imagine if not in order to make the things we imagine come true? But I'm starting to veer off the subject.

In the "real world" 99.9% of all mutations are harmful mutations. We may now have "genetically engineered" mutated tomatoes and mutated soya but how beneficial are they? Personally, I'll take the good old home grown stuff grown in natural fertilizer. And these are vegetables! How many harmful mutations would have to be dumped in order to genetically engineer one beneficial mutation in humans? I shudder to think of it.

No doubt people will try. It's human nature to be curious, to experiment, to keep at it until final success or ultimate failure are achieved. It's fascinating to imagine the "finished product", a human that can do and be a whole lot more than we are today. Is it ethical? That is the subject of another discussion.