Fanfic Helpdesk: Technical and Scientific Help for Writers

[WraithRichard]

There was the rogue conglomerate called "The Trust". Although it was busted, someone from there could have obtained enough information to make it possible, WhyteWytch.

They tend to have ideas that look good on paper, but only if you forget to carry the common sense.

I'm second Lieutenant too. Green to celebrate!

[Choo1701]

Okay, showing my 'newb' skills at understanding writing terms

What's an OFC?

[SF_and_Coffee]

Congrats on everyone's promotions!

As for the family with ties to the defense contractors: only the people directly involved in the contract work would have access to the actual information involved with it. Those are the people who sign the non-disclosure agreements and get to be in the know. Their family members generally won't know squat. This is from personal experience, as my father worked for years in this field, for major companies contracted to the DOD. Clearance out the wazoo, hands-on with things that officially don't even exist, but all I know is THAT he did it, not specifically WHAT he did to and/or with what, beyond the fact that it was materials and propulsion-related. I could make an educated guess here and there, but that's all it would be - guessing. (He damn near let something slip one time, when he was thinking out loud in a room I had just entered - he thought he was alone - and you wouldn't believe the HUGE deal it was as he caught himself in mid-sentence upon noticing that I had walked in.)

[Whytewytch]

Clarifying on the genetics thing:

Two males carry a desired mutation in their mtDNA, as does the female they may be producing children with. Since only the female would be able to pass on the mutation, it would not matter which male she mated with, correct?

If the mutation was in the nuclear DNA instead, would that make a difference if one of the males carried the mutation from both of his parents and one carried it only from one parent?

Also, can the same or a similar mutation be found in both the mtDNA & the nuclear DNA?

[Choo1701]

- and you wouldn't believe the HUGE deal it was as he caught himself in mid-sentence upon noticing that I had walked in.)

Well somewhere, out there now, your properly making a conspiracy theorist jump for joy or make happy, excited sounds SF and Coffee! Their imagination going into over drive!!

[WraithRichard]

Clarifying on the genetics thing:

Two males carry a desired mutation in their mtDNA, as does the female they may be producing children with. Since only the female would be able to pass on the mutation, it would not matter which male she mated with, correct?

If the mutation was in the nuclear DNA instead, would that make a difference if one of the males carried the mutation from both of his parents and one carried it only from one parent?

Also, can the same or a similar mutation be found in both the mtDNA & the nuclear DNA?

Yeah, only moms pass on mitochondrial DNA (that IS what mtDNA is, right?), just like men can only pass on stuff form the Y chromosome.

If it's in the nuclear DNA, it'd depend on whether it's recessive or dominant, and if its on one of the sex genes.

Not sure about the last one.

[Whytewytch]

Congrats on the promo, WR!

Choo, an OFC is an Original Female Character.

So Ana,

Spoiler:

my OMC could be involved in the defense contracting himself. Could it be a thing where a certain family has favoritism to be chosen in these instances due to past military/governmental relations? Kinda like there are certain families whose involvement in certain industries gets passed down from one generation to another. Could my OMC have been chosen because of his family's power?

[Feast of the Muse]

Congrats on the promo, WR!

Choo, an OFC is an Original Female Character.

So Ana,

Spoiler:

my OMC could be involved in the defense contracting himself. Could it be a thing where a certain family has favoritism to be chosen in these instances due to past military/governmental relations? Kinda like there are certain families whose involvement in certain industries gets passed down from one generation to another. Could my OMC have been chosen because of his family's power?

I thought it was simply Other Fictional Character? I didn't think there was a gender involved.

[SF_and_Coffee]

Clarifying on the genetics thing:

Two males carry a desired mutation in their mtDNA, as does the female they may be producing children with. Since only the female would be able to pass on the mutation, it would not matter which male she mated with, correct?

Correct. Mitochondrial DNA is ONLY passed on by females, because it is contained outside the nucleus of the cell, and only the egg passes it to the next generation.

If the mutation was in the nuclear DNA instead, would that make a difference if one of the males carried the mutation from both of his parents and one carried it only from one parent?

A male who only carries one mutated copy of the gene has a 50% chance of that mutated copy being in any given sperm cell. The other 50% will carry the non-mutated copy.

A male with two mutated copies will have it in ALL of his sperm.

Also, can the same or a similar mutation be found in both the mtDNA & the nuclear DNA?

If the Ancient gene is part of the nuclear DNA, which I'm guessing it is, then mitochondrial DNA would have no effect on it or on its expression. Mitochondrial DNA doesn't actually code for active traits in individuals; it's more of a residual marker than something that will affect noticeable traits.

[WraithRichard]

Congrats on the promo, WR!

Choo, an OFC is an Original Female Character.

Spoiler:

So I have an OFTMC?

[Choo1701]

Choo, an OFC is an Original Female Character.

I have to SPECIFY now!!!

I mean, yes i get OC confused with the television show but isn't this taking it TOO far!

Gorram 'political correctness' *grumble grumble*

[SF_and_Coffee]

Well somewhere, out there now, your properly making a conspiracy theorist jump for joy or make happy, excited sounds SF and Coffee! Their imagination going into over drive!!

Heh. Dad's a conspiracy theorist himself, from way back. I always put more credence into his theories than into most other people's, simply because of his knowing the things he knows. I figure, who else would be more likely to know what is and isn't plausible?

[Feast of the Muse]

Since you missed my post entirely - I have seen OFC as both male and female. Therefore, I believe it stands for Other Fictional Character. Not a canon character for that show, usually an invention of the author. My Sarah is an OFC, but not because she is a girl.

[Choo1701]

So Ana,

Spoiler:

my OMC could be involved in the defense contracting himself. Could it be a thing where a certain family has favoritism to be chosen in these instances due to past military/governmental relations? Kinda like there are certain families whose involvement in certain industries gets passed down from one generation to another. Could my OMC have been chosen because of his family's power?

ZOMG!!! BRAINWAVE!!! WHYTEWYTCH!! I'VE HAD A BRAIN- *trips over cat* ...wave

um...how about making them a senator and...senator's daughter?

You know... like in Stargate Universe?

EDIT:

Since you missed my post entirely - I have seen OFC as both male and female. Therefore, I believe it stands for Other Fictional Character. Not a canon character for that show, usually an invention of the author. My Sarah is an OFC, but not because she is a girl.

... can we just stick with "OC". It involves typing one less letter and so saves a WHOLE lot of time!!! (what? I'm a guy. Less work = Lot better )

[SF_and_Coffee]

I thought it was simply Other Fictional Character? I didn't think there was a gender involved.

I've always read it as Original Female Character, myself.

So Ana,

Spoiler:

my OMC could be involved in the defense contracting himself. Could it be a thing where a certain family has favoritism to be chosen in these instances due to past military/governmental relations? Kinda like there are certain families whose involvement in certain industries gets passed down from one generation to another. Could my OMC have been chosen because of his family's power?

Spoiler:

Well, possibly, if the family owns the company and is subject to favoritism in receiving the contract... say someone has rigged the bidding.

Yeah, only moms pass on mitochondrial DNA (that IS what mtDNA is, right?), just like men can only pass on stuff form the Y chromosome.

More properly said, ONLY men can pass on stuff from Y chromosomes. The Y chromosome is one of 23 chromosomes in a sperm cell, and half of a man's sperm won't have one at all, having an X chromosome instead and producing a female child.

If it's in the nuclear DNA, it'd depend on whether it's recessive or dominant, and if its on one of the sex genes.

If the Ancient gene is sex-linked, then it depends on whether it is on the X or the Y. If it's on the X, then either a man or a woman can pass it, and to a child of either gender. If it's on the Y, then only a man can pass it, and only to a male child. My guess is that it isn't on the Y (aren't there females who have it?) and that it probably isn't on a sex chromosome at all.

And if it's recessive, then you'd need two of them to make it work. I thought you only needed one, which means it should be a dominant gene.