If we can learn anything from video games, it's that post-apocalyptic scenarios are surprisingly fun. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration on my part. It's not fun to scrabble around for clean water in an irradiated shell of a building whilst monsters roam the streets hungry for flesh... In the real world. However, when it's through the lens of a video game, it's great fun! And to that end, the Fallout series.
The first two Fallout games were released in 1997 and 1998 respectively, and were a roaring success, capturing people with their in-depth world and great storytelling. More recently, Bethesda Studios have re-invented the franchise with the first-person Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. In all of the games in the series, you meet some friendly, and some not-so-friendly, residents of the nuclear wasteland. Many of these residents are Ghouls. Let's take a closer look.
The Set-Up:
In the Fallout universe, the world was all but destroyed in 2077 via a global nuclear conflict. Some remenants of humanity were able to survive by living in nuclear bunkers called Vaults. Those who weren't so lucky were left on the surface, and irradiated when the bombs fell. Some of these unfortunate individuals were not killed, but began to mutate into Ghouls. Their skin began to flake off and crack, their hair fell out, and their voices sounded like they'd been gargling gravel. The mutation happens due to an anomaly in a persons genetic code, which results in them turning into a ghoul, rather than dying horrifically. Ghouls, whilst looking like they are rotting away, can actually live for centuries.
The Science:
We'll start with the basics. Radiation, or in this case, ionising radiation, is comprised of high energy molecules that transfer enough energy to the molecules they collide with to cause ionisation. To help explain, here's a useful diagram;
As the image shows, the energy striking the molecule is enough to dislodge an electron, which is then referred to as a free radical. These can cause damage to other cells, which then release more free radicals, resulting in a domino effect across the body.
This might not seem like much, but the effect this can have can be devastating. The free radicals can break the bonds formed in DNA, which results in mutations. These mutations often result in cancers, as the cells begin to divide at a uninhibited rate. Skin cancer, for example, is a result of UV radiation from the sun mutating cells.
So what happens when radiation turns someone into a Ghoul? Well in the Fallout universe, a small percentage of people have a random mutation which causes the radiation to act on their bodies in a different way. Normally, being exposed to radiation will give you radiation sickness, as we've seen, but in Ghouls it triggers a different mutation, where neurotransmitter responsible for the function of the heart and lungs is regenerated at a faster rate. This allows for the Ghouls extended life span.
Now whilst this neurotransmitter mutation isn't scientifically sound, what IS quite accurate is the physical appearance of the Ghouls. The lack of hair and cracked, burnt skin is very similar to that seen in victims suffering from radiation burns. When skin is exposed to ionizing radiation, the high energy particles we looked at before can kill cells in the skin resulting in the "burns" associated with radiation sickness. The loss of hair occurs through a similar process, where the follicles die through radiation damage. The Ghouls of Fallout, who've spent years absorbing radiation, display very extreme versions of these symptoms, often looking like decayed corpses.
So unfortunately, getting blasted with radiation will only get you horrific burns, hair loss and potentially cancer, rather than horrific burns, hair loss and an extended life span. Probably for the best.
As the image shows, the energy striking the molecule is enough to dislodge an electron, which is then referred to as a free radical. These can cause damage to other cells, which then release more free radicals, resulting in a domino effect across the body.
This might not seem like much, but the effect this can have can be devastating. The free radicals can break the bonds formed in DNA, which results in mutations. These mutations often result in cancers, as the cells begin to divide at a uninhibited rate. Skin cancer, for example, is a result of UV radiation from the sun mutating cells.
So what happens when radiation turns someone into a Ghoul? Well in the Fallout universe, a small percentage of people have a random mutation which causes the radiation to act on their bodies in a different way. Normally, being exposed to radiation will give you radiation sickness, as we've seen, but in Ghouls it triggers a different mutation, where neurotransmitter responsible for the function of the heart and lungs is regenerated at a faster rate. This allows for the Ghouls extended life span.
Now whilst this neurotransmitter mutation isn't scientifically sound, what IS quite accurate is the physical appearance of the Ghouls. The lack of hair and cracked, burnt skin is very similar to that seen in victims suffering from radiation burns. When skin is exposed to ionizing radiation, the high energy particles we looked at before can kill cells in the skin resulting in the "burns" associated with radiation sickness. The loss of hair occurs through a similar process, where the follicles die through radiation damage. The Ghouls of Fallout, who've spent years absorbing radiation, display very extreme versions of these symptoms, often looking like decayed corpses.
So unfortunately, getting blasted with radiation will only get you horrific burns, hair loss and potentially cancer, rather than horrific burns, hair loss and an extended life span. Probably for the best.
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