# Flu Epidemic **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flu-epidemic/355127 "2006-05-02T17:43:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flu-epidemic/355127/21 "2006-05-03T19:31:10Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > You know, it is absolutely _faaaaabulous_ that you can tell that this will have _exactly_ the right mutation to turn pandemic … > > can you tell me when we will mutate to get psychic powers? I want to be able to start fires with my mind, I can never find my lighter. > > Um, arent mutations pretty damned random? Isnt there _also_ the chance that it will mutate to turn purple [or something pretty innocuous] at about the same chance it will randomly mutate to turn lethal? Hahaha. Its great that you can contribute to discussions on science too. I was worried you’d give some pointless sarcastic reply but instead you’ve enlightened humanity instead. Kudos to you my good sir. It doesn’t matter if the virus mutates to turn purple or yellow or inept. What matters is if the right mutations occur to combine the deadliness with the contagiousness of the human flu and bird flu. Got to love the dicks that this board attracts. Jesus christ. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flu-epidemic/355127/22 "2006-05-03T19:35:39Z")
FTR the issue can be addressed by googling the phrases ‘alpha 2,3 alpha 2,6 receptors bird flu’. The 2,6 receptors are in the upper aireways, 2,3 are in the lower ones. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/22/AR2006032202043.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/22/AR2006032202043.html) I remember someone telling me that computer simulations showed 10-11 amino acid mutations (specific mutations in specific places) needed to occur on the H protein to cause a pandemic. However that could be short circuited by mixing bird & human flu. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flu-epidemic/355127/23 "2006-05-03T23:14:50Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > You know, it is absolutely _faaaaabulous_ that you can tell that this will have _exactly_ the right mutation to turn pandemic … > > can you tell me when we will mutate to get psychic powers? I want to be able to start fires with my mind, I can never find my lighter. > > Um, arent mutations pretty damned random? Isnt there _also_ the chance that it will mutate to turn purple [or something pretty innocuous] at about the same chance it will randomly mutate to turn lethal? **aruvqan**. You’re out of line here. This is General Questions. **samclem** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flu-epidemic/355127/24 "2006-05-03T23:33:58Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > People would do well, IMHO, to review the history of the swine flu panic of the 1970s. …or review the history of the many epidemics that _did_ wipe out tons of folks and have occurred pretty regularly over the centuries. While you may think we, or “the media” are overreacting, the fact is that we are immensely under-prepared for such an inevitability of another catastrophic epidemic. ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flu-epidemic/355127/25 "2006-05-03T23:55:22Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > A Question~~~ > > Was your family in Philadelphia? Or near it? You know, **Bosda,** I never knew? And she’s gone now and I can’t ask. Sorry. Why? (By the way, as a longtime lurker and relative newbie, I’m all atremble that you spoke to me.) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flu-epidemic/355127/26 "2006-05-04T00:32:04Z")
> [@gabriela](#): > > You know, **Bosda,** I never knew? And she’s gone now and I can’t ask. Sorry. > > Why? > > (By the way, as a longtime lurker and relative newbie, I’m all atremble that you spoke to me.) Tremble not, mine kiddo! 😃 Nasty I’m not! As for why, every account I’ve read suggested that Philly got the worst of it, worse than anywhere else in America. Go to your local library, & look up a history book on the 1918 flu (there are several good ones), & you can read something fascinating…and nightmarish. The story of Philly & the Flu. Compelling, and it scared me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flu-epidemic/355127.md?page=1)