[HPforGrownups] Re: What are muggles, anyway?

[Robert Carnegie]

No: HPFGUIDX 20307

06/06/01 02:14:37, "Milz" <absinthe at mad.scientist.com> wrote:

>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. 

Perhaps a special neurotransmitter that conducts magical energy throughout the body via the nervous system would account for wizards' long-
livedness - or perhaps it's an indirect benefit, that they know and use a lot of health charms against Muggle illnesses.

Can wizards be restrained from using magic, other than by Dementors?  And can a Muggle be transformed, perhaps temporarily, into a wizard?  
We know that magical objects can interact with Muggles - Arthur Weasley's job is to stop that from happening.

Intelligent wizards don't look down on Muggles at all, I think, and for that reason Muggle- or non-Muggle-hood isn't a burning issue in the wizard 
community.  The other consideration might be that it simply hasn't been possible to change a person from one to the other.  
Xenotransplantation...

I may at this point be looking very silly for putting off reading GOF...?

Robert Carnegie
Meretricious!