Modelling the Mutation Rate of The Flash in Context

Authors

  • Scott Brown The Centre for Interdisciplinary Science, University of Leicester
  • Danny Chandla The Centre for Interdisciplinary Science, University of Leicester

Keywords:

Comic, Biology, DNA, Mutation rate, Bacteria, Superhero, The Flash

Abstract

The Flash has had many incarnations, however all share key characteristics. One of these is an increased metabolic rate and therefore an increased cell turnover. A simple model is used to model the cell turnover of the Flash and calculate the rate at which he acquires mutations, 1.71x1015 mutations per day. This is compared to the incidence of cancer in the UK, showing the Flash has an increased risk.

References

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Moran, L.A. (2013). Estimating Human Mutation Rate: Biochemical Method. Sandwalk – Strolling with a sceptical biochemist. Available from: http://sandwalk.blogspot.ca/2013/03/estimating-human-human-mutatin-rate.html [Accessed 11/03/2015].

Bianconi, E., Piovesan, A., Facchin, F., Beraudi, A., Casadei, R., Frabetti, F., Vitale, L., Pelleri, M.C., Tassani, S., Piva, F., Perez-Amodio, S., Strippoli, P. & Canaider, S. (2013) An estimation of the number of cells in the human body, Annals of Human Biology, 40, 463-471.

Cancer Research UK (2014) Cancer Incidence by Age. Available from: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/incidence/age/ [Accessed 11/03/2015].

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How to Cite

Brown, S., & Chandla, D. (2017). Modelling the Mutation Rate of The Flash in Context. Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics, 4. Retrieved from https://journals.le.ac.uk/index.php/jist/article/view/770

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