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The idea here is magic is cast by altered mitochondria in-taking a new form of radiation which acts as a sort of manipulation net for ionizing or non-ionizing radiation depending on need. Then releasing it in a controlled manner shaped by neural feedback. The method by which this is done is unclear, but the effects of the various kinds of radiation on the body still occur while manipulation is occurring.

My question is how would the human body adapt to better handle in-taking normally dangerous amounts of ionizing radiation, thus removing one of the major hindrances on spellcasting? Alternatively, as I am no scientist, could someone kindly explain and/or propose another means of channeling/manipulating the radiation to cause different effects?

Cyn
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Obelisk
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    Gamma rays and microwave rays actually are electromagnetic waves. – AlexP Jan 12 '19 at 11:42
  • All kinds of radiation/ waves you are talking about are electromagnetic waves just differentiated by different wave lengths of the photon particle. Microwave waves are the longest (from the ones you talked about even though non ionizing radiation can be even longer they are mostly not specified like this) gamma rays are a sub part of ionizing radiation and way shorter than microwaves – Soan Jan 12 '19 at 11:48
  • So what would help is if you specify which kind of radiation your creatures take in. Because electromagnetic basically tell us only photons but not if these are visible by the human eye or radio waves or x-rays, gamma rays and so on. – Soan Jan 12 '19 at 11:50
  • Okay,thanks for the fast feedback. I edited the post above, hopefully that helps. The radiation they are taking in is a form of ionizing radiation whose unique properties allow it to shape the other forms of radiation around it based off the spellcasters will. In doing so it draws the needed forms of radiation from the casters surroundings to allow them to cast.

    Now this occurs even if they don't know what they're actually manipulating,but know what they are trying to achieve. For example you could create an explosion, but you can't just summon lava. You could mold flesh,but not shapeshift

     – Obelisk Jan 12 '19 at 12:09

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Explaining other parts of the problem (to justify weak answer)

So the problem is that ionizing radiation causes the known effects by dislodging electrons from their usual position around the core of the atom. This effect also can't be changed without huge changes to physics as we understand it.

Solution (if you can call it that)

So the only possible adaption to radiation is to have your complete body be somehow prepared to deal with dislodging electrons. So the only thing I can imagine is that there is some kind of reaction when radiation hits the body of the spell caster. This reaction emits some kind of electromagnetic waves itself. (depending on what the caster wants)

Because the electron which has been dislodged is closer to the other electrons of other atoms and to the ones further away from the own atom core it will other than in our universe again lose its new energy level and create a photon of the wished wave length, in these short moments casters have some control over the location of electrons and can thereby decide over wave lengths (but this is not known to the caster this is a process like when your gut dissolves your food you have no active control over it). For further information about photons.

And how your caster can survive has already been explained by Demigan.

Soan
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  • Thanks for the quick responses and for explaining it to me. The links were also very useful. The solution you have also works well enough for my purposes. – Obelisk Jan 13 '19 at 05:22
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Ionizing radiation is the type that you need lead screens for to protect yourself. It might be prudent to eat a lot of iodyne tablets if these acts are often performed near food, this prevents radiated iodyne from heaping up in the hypocampus (at least I thought it was the hypocampus) and prevents higher exposure there. IT DOES NOT PROTECT AGAINST RADIATION!!! It only protects against a lethal buildup of irradiated iodyne. Make sure you dont irradiate the iodyne tablets you ingest...

For actual protection you can look for some answers here: Creating a scientifically semi-valid super-soldier, part 6: Radiation protection. Keep in mind that some idea's, like the BNNT answer, is likely not possible for natural evolution and would require buildig the body from the ground up in a lab.

If these magic users have no biological protection you can expect their skin to darken (ultraviolet is also ionizing) and anyone who uses it a lot will suffer radiation damage, sickness and eventually death. Smart users would limit exposure to levels equivalent of an X-ray at the dentist once in a while.

Demigan
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  • This is not an answer rather a clarification of the subject he is asking – Soan Jan 12 '19 at 13:13
  • @Soan the answers from the linked question have potential solutions. Also I already added more in case no protection is available. – Demigan Jan 12 '19 at 13:15
  • This still doesn't answer relay his question as in "how can a human adapt to manipulate electromagnetic waves" but is helpful in some way and I don't see how the link answers any questions as these are about survival not manipulation. – Soan Jan 12 '19 at 13:21
  • @Soan "My question is how would the human body adapt to better handle in-taking normally dangerous amounts of ionizing radiation;" this is his main question. He asks for an alternative as to how this kind of spellcasting could be used, but my answer is for his main question. – Demigan Jan 12 '19 at 14:22
  • Thank you very much for the answers. This has helped me out immensely. – Obelisk Jan 13 '19 at 05:20
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Try using a catalyst, like a thermoluminescent crystal. If your experiment is biological, there would need to be some gene editing in order for the body to handle it. Crystals naturally absorb radiation. I know there’s a process where gems/crystals are irradiated as a refining process.

Loki
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