Question

If a group of turtles are born that stand on their hind legs, speak like humans, and can

perform great feats of martial art skill, is it likely that these turtles have undergone a
mutation? How do you know?

Answer 1

In biology, a spontaneously occurring, permanent change in the genetic make-up is referred to as a mutation. The change initially affects the genome of only one cell, but is passed on to its daughter cells. An organism with a new trait created by mutation is called a mutant. These mutations can occur spontaneously or can be caused by external influences, such as radiation or chemicals.

Therefore, the fact that turtles could develop the ability to walk on two legs, speak like humans and perform martial arts would be a clear example of a genetic mutation with respect to the original DNA of their species.