Monster Ideas

I have often wondered what would happen if there were self-replicating nanoparticles that changed people's DNA. Who knows they might already exist, they probably do!

Picture this, a laboratory experimenting with nanoparticles that can self-replicate, meaning they can reproduce is working away trying to save the world. These nanoparticles can be programmed to modify DNA. The honorable and innocent purpose of such technology would be to deliver lifesaving genetic modifications to sick people.

In the good world these nanoparticles would go into a person who has a genetic disorder and rewrite their DNA and repair the genetic disorder to provide them with a normal life.

But what happens if whether by accident or by design these particles end up hurting people. Say for instance somebody programs these nanoparticles to actually give a person a genetic disorder or to rewrite parts of their DNA to cause them to mutate into something other than human.

Let's take it one step further what if a person infected with these nanoparticles is then bitten by a mosquito and then through infected mosquitoes these nanoparticles are delivered to uninfected healthy humans. The ripple effect is that mosquitoes bite humans who are infected then spread the disorders or mutations to other uninfected humans. Then the cycle continues in an ever-growing outward spiral.

Now you have a mosquito delivering these nanoparticles that have been programmed or malfunctioned to rewrite people's DNA. Causing the people to mutate. Or de-evolve into an earlier form of human species. Or evolve into something different. Or take on some sort of genetic disorder that they did not have before.

How would you stop such an outbreak? Even without the mosquitoes, something like that would be hard to stop. The mosquitoes sucking blood out of the infected and then infecting others the ripple effect could be astronomical.

Then one step further, what if these nanoparticles are transferred through eggs in the offspring of the mosquitoes? For example, it becomes part of their genetic material or part of their being to carry, reproduce, and deliver these nanoparticles so mosquitos are carriers before they even hatch.

Pretty scary stuff!