What are muggles, anyway?

[Milz]

No: HPFGUIDX 20251

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., rcraigharman at h... wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Milz" <absinthe at m...> wrote:
> > 
> > They do research. The Wolfsbane Potion is a relatively new potion
> > for lycanthropy. IIRC, in SS/PS, Harry saw a book in Flourish &
> > Botts called New Hexes (or something along those lines) that
> > included the Jelly-Legs curse. Dumbledore discrovered the 12 uses
> > for Dragon's Blood. Then there's the activities of that mysterious
> > Department of Mysteries. 
> > 
> > It wouldn't surprize me if there have been wizards and witches who 
> > have studied why Muggles are Muggles and why there are Squibs.
> 
> True, but I have to wonder if these would count as scientific
> research as we understand it.  After all, genetic research can only
> go so far on Punnett squares and monastic gardens.
> 
> When I read of Dumbledore discovering the 12 uses for Dragon's 
Blood,
> I envision the Edisonian type of directed trial and error that gave
> us the light bulb.  Similarly, the discovery of the Wolfsbane potion
> seems to be about on the same level as preparing foxglove or willow
> bark or finding new drugs in our times by using the reports of the
> indigenous peoples of the Amazon or South Pacific.
> 
> It seems to me that a search for the magic gene would require
> greater science than the wizarding community uses....
> 

True, it might not be 'research' in the sense of contemporary science. 
But you have given fine examples of phyto-pharmacologic agents that 
have been further 'refined' and synthetically mass-produced . 
Afterall, medications such as antibiotics, calcium-channel blockers, 
etc. are contemporary 'potions'. During their development, these 
medications underwent periods of 'trial and error', not to mention 
multi-phasic clinical trials. Sometimes medications fail to bring 
about the intended results and are instead marketed for it a resultant 
side effect, for example Viagra. 

I'm beginning to rethink the magic gene. Neuroscientists have mapped 
out most of the brain and most of the brain functions are known. But 
neurotransmiters are still being categorized and sub-categorized. For 
example, there are aleast 5 known serotonin receptors; when I was in 
school, there were 2 known receptors (and I haven't been out of school 
that long!). Next year they'll probably classify a couple of more 
serotonin receptors. Same goes for hormones, especially hormones 
produced by the gravid uterus. What if Muggles and Wizards differ by 
one neurotransmitter and/or one hormone? Then depending on what is or 
isn't lacking a wizard can become a Muggle, a Squib/Muggle a wizard, 
simply by potentiating or inhibiting the influence of this 
neurotransmitter or hormone. 

Milz