The science in Allegiant

[Lauren]

It occurs to me that there needs to be a separate thread to argue about the specifics of the science and genetics in this book, for people like me who get way too worked up over things like this.

[Andi]

I know nothing about biology or genetics but the "science" in this book bugged me too!

Some readers have also linked me to some interesting articles on the topic as well.

http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/did-...

http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/alle...

[[deleted user]]

I know that putting a whole bunch of undesirable genes in an isolated pool with no new desirable genes you are only going to breed people with stronger and stronger characteristics of those undesirable genes... It's like inbreeding, the gene pool needs to be varied.

In other words to produce "genetically pure" people you wouldn't stick a bunch of genetically damaged people together... No, you'd need to bring in other non damaged genes.

[cc]

One thing that bothered me are the shots that prevented people from being affected by the gasses. There are antidotes for after poisonings & immunizations against airborn viruses, but I find it highly improbable (if not impossible) that a simple shot could prevent a gas from attacking their central nervous system & shutting their bodies down. I understand that the technology is supposed to be more advanced, but enough of this is based in present day realistic terms - they still use trucks & trains - that it's a bit too farfetched to say that they wouldn't have/wear gasmasks to much more effectively protect them than a shot.

Thanks for this thread by the way! I think it was a great idea!

[Lauren]

V.C. wrote: "I know that putting a whole bunch of undesirable genes in an isolated pool with no new desirable genes you are only going to breed people with stronger and stronger characteristics of those undesir..."

They actually could have used this as an explanation for Divergent people -- a mutation that occurred from the propagation of these "damaged" genes.