Are powers realistic?

To go along with the drunkeness Radioboy brought up. PCP gives the user something nigh a level of "super strength". I've seen other cases, but awhile ago in my dinky little college town, one of the frat boys took a dose, and got out of control. They called down the cops and college security. It took 4 or 5 guys to subdue him and cuff him. He then proceeded to break the cuffs (and in the process break both his wrists, but he was so wasted he didn't notice) and give the cops more trouble. The ended up having to stun him into unconsciousness, which took awhile.

They've done studies on "photographic memory" and have determined that it's not photographic so much, as people just have an innate talent or trick to memorize, they did studies in which they were able to mess it up, proving it's not a fool proof "power" though it is hella neat.

There have been cases about ESP, telekinesis, psychokinesis and more. If you want to believe these things, that's up to you.

Though treading the line between science and religion, one must consider Jesus. Perhaps he had a divine touch or heritage. Perhaps something like the tale Gilgamesh happened, and he was the son of not so much a god, but an alien pretending to be one, who through breeding with a human unlocked genetic potentials. Who knows? I sure don't, but just possibilities.

Originally posted by ScarletSpider
To go along with the drunkeness Radioboy brought up. PCP gives the user something nigh a level of "super strength". I've seen other cases, but awhile ago in my dinky little college town, one of the frat boys took a dose, and got out of control. They called down the cops and college security. It took 4 or 5 guys to subdue him and cuff him. He then proceeded to break the cuffs (and in the process break both his wrists, but he was so wasted he didn't notice) and give the cops more trouble. The ended up having to stun him into unconsciousness, which took awhile.

I had a friend that literally jumped over a car when drunk.

They've done studies on "photographic memory" and have determined that it's not photographic so much, as people just have an innate talent or trick to memorize, they did studies in which they were able to mess it up, proving it's not a fool proof "power" though it is hella neat.

I once knew a person that had a photographic memory who could easily identify the difference in those pixelated type puzzles (unsure what their exact names are). I do not think he was infallible, but the ability was still interesting.

There have been cases about ESP, telekinesis, psychokinesis and more. If you want to believe these things, that's up to you.

Should ventriloquism be classified as a form of psionics as well (a la Chamber)?

Though treading the line between science and religion, one must consider Jesus. Perhaps he had a divine touch or heritage. Perhaps something like the tale Gilgamesh happened, and he was the son of not so much a god, but an alien pretending to be one, who through breeding with a human unlocked genetic potentials. Who knows? I sure don't, but just possibilities.

You should read Dan Brown's novel Angels and Demons. Very interesting read about the Illuminati and Vatican.

some people are born without the ability to feel pain. its called analgesia. the only superpowers that are currently in the realm of science, albiet in the research stage is cell regeneration, and super strength. about a few motnhs back they aired this program on Discovery showcasing pluasible suprehero science, and they showed that this guy in some big college created super strong rats by means of genetic manipuation.

they compared two rats of the same age,but one was enhanced and he was 4 times bigger and denser and he was about 6 times stronger. they even showed how they starved both of them and and they enhanced one went for a really long time b4 showing signs of withering. in human terms that would put us some where around Hank Mcoy, at the very least Sabretooth.

they capped it off by saying that it would be possible to do the same to humans but it would have to be from in the womb. they also said that they could manipulate babies genes to make them immune to all sorts of diseases including aids and cancer.

in the next segment they showed this formula a bunch of scientists were working on that cuased rats to grow back tails and ears that have been cut off so who knows maby in a hundred years or so the tech would be readily available to at least expand our lives a few more decades than currnetly normal.

they also studied how cells regenerate

Originally posted by manjaro
...in the next segment they showed this formula a bunch of scientists were working on that cuased rats to grow back tails and ears that have been cut off so who knows maby in a hundred years or so the tech would be readily available to at least expand our lives a few more decades than currnetly normal.they also studied how cells regenerate

Studies have been conducted for quite some time on the regenerative processes done by starfish.

Why do you want to live beyond 100? Most people dread that thought of a long [possibly near ending fruitless] life. It was theorized that during the time of Moses, life spans did go a few centuries (was it Moses that was in the 800 or 900's?).

Originally posted by radioboy121
It was theorized that during the time of Moses, life spans did go a few centuries (was it Moses that was in the 800 or 900's?)

Not, however, by reputable scientists. The people "theorizing" that are generally fundamentalist apologists, and their arguments (which involve some sort of canopy that kept out radiation or something) never made any damned sense. But that's probably not a topic for the Comics board.

Historically, we've seen it happen countless times, we messed up while translating and didn't take into account different systems of measurement--perhaps their years were shorter. Thus he was 800, but on our system he was really only, oh 72 or so. Or it was just translated wrong and some guy missed the symbol that subtracts 700 from the final sum. The Bible is by no means infallible. They're missing a chunk of the Commandments, for Pete's sake. God issued the commandments to a people that were constantly warring--as it was original written the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" should actually be "Thou shalt not kill, unless in times of war." Of course justifying murder in any sense is bad PR, so it's understandable that it's been left out over the millenia. Shalt is also grammatically misused, but we'll let it slide, as it sounds better.

Originally posted by Spawnie
Basically, there can be done something. Eliminate the sese of pain from someone, u will have basically a superhuman. There are some guys in Japan that can knock u out with their voice. I saw the damn clip and the guy played the gong from distance with his damn voice. Basically our undeveloped brain is our limit, so maybe in the future we will be able to overcome ourselves. If we get to the age when we can combine metal with human tissues we will be able to produce inhanced humans. Since that is not the case by a long shot well we shall have to wait another 100 years, if we don't all parish by then, hopefully not.

There was actually a little girl born who COULD NOT feel pain. She isnt superhuman, her parents never knew she was injured though.

Originally posted by radioboy121
Why do you want to live beyond 100? Most people dread that thought of a long [possibly near ending fruitless] life. It was theorized that during the time of Moses, life spans did go a few centuries (was it Moses that was in the 800 or 900's?).

But there is no proof that they defined a 'year' as we do. They might have treated a season in the same way that we treat a year.

About living two or three times the normal life span. You wouldnt crumble away when u reach 130 or watever. It was said that if and when its possible they would dramaticaly slow the ageing process when u were at ur peak, say 30 yrs old or so.

not to get off on on religious tangent or shove theology down anyones throat but the whole story behind that is. according to "bible"history, man has only been on earth for just little over 6000 yrs. and since according to "bible" history Adam was the "first" man, and was created to be perfect, he was alone for a bunch of years by himself, he even had enufff time to name all the animals and shit, and when he saw that every other creature had a pair except him he got all lonley and shit thus god created eve from dust and his rib.

also according to "bible" history, to god a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day. i believe thats in 2nd Peter somewhere....anyway, the whole story is after Adam and Eve were cast out, they were so close to perfection that they were still able to live for hundreds of years Adam "allegedly" to the tune of 900 and some odd years, so in god's eyes he still didnt even live for a day. this stemming from the edict that"the day you eat this fruit you will positvley die." some where in genesis i believe.

so the whole story behind the whole story is that back in those days men were closer to perfection since accordinng to "bible" history, the human race had just started. so i guess one could make a case that things have slowly degenerated since then. with regards to our diets, habits, and the toxins we ingest in our bodies on a daily basis.

also i often wonder about all those human bones that archeologists always unearth and carbon date as 10's of 1000's of years old. my thing is if man was on earth for all those years why did it take so long to get smart?

In italy 2summers ago, a 40years old man try to robe into a bank, and the police was constrict to shoot him, because when 6agents try to arrest him he knock down them and they where put in hospital for 2weeks, i assist at the scene and i was a little scared but more interested in how can this guy knockdown 6agents when he looks like a drunk old homeless?And on the newspaper the day after the arrest was wrote that during his first encounter with police, near a tribunal, he send 5policemen to the ospital and literally throw a policeman through the glass of the police car, and his hands were hold by the chains the police put on you after the arrest, to put down him in this occasion arrived from the tribunal 6more agents to finally stop him.When he was put in hospital after the robe try, he hurt a doctor, 3 nurses and 2cops and was put down again with tranquillizer.
And the guy wasn't someone in great physical condition if you look at him, i onestly think that he possess near peak of human strenght, cause when he throw a policeman during the robe he dot it like the policeman weight 2lbs O_o

Back in topic, I read that the D.A.R.P.A. is developing something like supersoldier serum or exoskeleton,

Originally posted by radioboy121
You should read Dan Brown's novel Angels and Demons. Very interesting read about the Illuminati and Vatican.

Da Vinci, now, that was somebody with superpowers. A great painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, inventor and lots more. Not bad for somebody of the fifteenth century.

Originally posted by manjaro
also i often wonder about all those human bones that archeologists always unearth and carbon date as 10's of 1000's of years old. my thing is if man was on earth for all those years why did it take so long to get smart?

First modern men appeared in Europe let's say 35.000 years ago (there is no exact date, it depends too much on the definition "Homo Sapiens" and on the source : some archeologists claim men is older, other say men is younger. Whatever).

35.000 years may seem as a gigantic long time, but actually, it's nothing. Really, it's a very short period of time. Dinosaurs have ruled the Earth millions and millions of years, and after their extinction, it took our ancestors about 65 million years to become Homo Sapiens. 35.000 years later, we have the internet, advanced industry and space travel. 35.000 years for such a phenomenal evolution is absolutely nothing.

Originally posted by Gregory
Not, however, by reputable scientists. The people "theorizing" that are generally fundamentalist apologists, and their arguments (which involve some sort of canopy that kept out radiation or something) never made any damned sense. But that's probably not a topic for the Comics board.

Perhaps the more correct term would be prophesized. I cannot remember exactly, but I'm assuming their reason was the O-Zone layer had to do something with it. Little risk of cancerous growth... Who knows how our bodies or lifespan for that matter would change?

Originally posted by Magee
About living two or three times the normal life span. You wouldnt crumble away when u reach 130 or watever. It was said that if and when its possible they would dramaticaly slow the ageing process when u were at ur peak, say 30 yrs old or so.

Taking up on that idea, then you would also be on the bounds of living in the 90's for a much longer time. Not the most ideal unless you are in prime condition.

On the topic, I don't think certain cases such as a third arm (I have only heard cases of an incomplete arm) could be classified as a power.

Originally posted by manjuro
not to get off on on religious tangent...

Argh! Please don't get religious on us. I'm already confused as it is on what to believe. The Catholic church's history remains very dubious, so I've always been skeptical about the biblical aspects as it is, though some of their stories do fascinate me.

Perhaps the more correct term would be prophesized. I cannot remember exactly, but I'm assuming their reason was the O-Zone layer had to do something with it. Little risk of cancerous growth... Who knows how our bodies or lifespan for that matter would change?

That's it. They claim that there was some sort of canopy that blocked ultra-violet rays. But I can tell you what would happen to our life-spans if that was true; we'd all die young. What these people don't seem to realize is that "harmful" ultraviolet rays are the main source of vitamin D, which is important to life, and which actually helps prevent cancer.

Argh! Please don't get religious on us. I'm already confused as it is on what to believe. The Catholic church's history remains very dubious, so I've always been skeptical about the biblical aspects as it is, though some of their stories do fascinate me.

Then don't pay attention to the Church. The Church is founded on a book of ideas and guidelines, read the book and cut out the middle man. Or just listen to Jesus Christ Superstar. Rock operas own.

comic book dicussion, not religous. so i wont get into it, and trust me, you dont want me to get into it.
back to topic

the only powers that are "realistic" are afew of the mutants, like healing, small degrees of super strength and speed, no energy projection or transformations are realistic at all. and have anyone hear seen the movie unbreakable? that movie is very realistic, there are people with bones that are about 2xs denser than normal peoples bones, about 1/50 people have realy hard bones, i happen to be one of them. i sound crazy but i have like taken 30 foot drops off small cliffs, fallen out of a 40 foot tree, and had both my bear feet ran over by a truck, and i have never broken a bone, doctors have told me that it is a rare random gene that makes my bones abit harder

Originally posted by Gregory
That's it. They claim that there was some sort of canopy that blocked ultra-violet rays. But I can tell you what would happen to our life-spans if that was true; we'd all die young. What these people don't seem to realize is that "harmful" ultraviolet rays are the main source of vitamin D, which is important to life, and which actually helps prevent cancer.

I doubt the proclamation was on the respect that this "canopy" was a complete shield from the rays. Perhaps there was a time when it was totally blockaded, but these would be periods of Earth's history that the environment was considered unlivable for creatures such as us. The deterioration has had effects on our living and we have had to use scientific means to compensate for issues that were not as much problems for human kind before.

[i]Originally posted by ScarletSpider[./i]
Then don't pay attention to the Church. The Church is founded on a book of ideas and guidelines, read the book and cut out the middle man. Or just listen to Jesus Christ Superstar. Rock operas own.

The church was never one to shy away from the public eye. Look how long they stretched the topic of homosexuality?

I heard one of the songs of the production Jesus Christ Superstar, but I've only seen Phantom of the Opera from Andrew Lloyd Webber's works.

On the topic, would charisma be classified as a form of special power? Think on the lines of Longshot or Gambit. Beyond just attractiveness, some people just have an innane knack on catching people's attention.

o great you brought back in the religous stuff, i wont comment on it, unless people keep bringing it up, and yes i think charisma could kinda count i guess

um actually i wouldnt really say that a lot of the superhuman powers were possible but you should also see at some existing levels of power that are often not very noticable.
a hummingbird can flap its wings over 100 times a second without fatigue and tissue damadge, and it can continuously do this for the wrest of its life, a flee has enough leg strength to jump 50 times its own height, an ant can lift 50 times its own body weight, bruce lee proved capable of delivering a single one inch punch in under 500ths of a second,
these are just some evolved abilities{with the excetion of bruce} that could easily have been evolved in the human genes, but they werent because they are a hindrance to the human evolutionary process which depends more on mental power.
but with the current advances being made in genetics, its quiete possible that we could one day artificially grow and grapht or genetically evolve to have the same type and amount of muscle developmet that a flee or a humming bird has.

incidently, the one thing i dont understand about the wolverine healing factor is that when a loses a considerable part of his body, even if by some miracle he can heal it at that rate, where does he get the biological mass to heal it, i mean, he cant just grow back bones, arms and legs without having a ready suopply of biological mass, and he sure as hell is not husing anything stored in his own body cause no other part of his body reduces in size or dissipates.