The Complex Relationship between Radiation and Mutation

Studies at the California Institute of Technology furnish information on the nature of radiation effects on genes. The experiments produced fruit flies with three or four wings and double or partially doubled thoraxes by causing gene mutation through X-irradiation and chromosome rearrangements. A is a normal male Drosophila; B is a four-winged male with a double thorax; and C and D are three-winged flies with partial double thoraxes.