Encyclopedia Galactica: Natural Mutations (NM)
Humans who are born with spontaneous physical mutations, that is, mutations that occur as a natural physical process without outside human interference, are called Natural Mutants. Individuals can be born with an extremely wide variety of mutations, everything from mild physical mutations like an extended brow ridge to fangs and super human strength.
Natural mutants especially have over the past millennia been subject to extreme prejudice throughout Known Space. Many have failed to even be born as the stigma attached to a mutant child has caused many parents to terminate the gestation of NM fetuses.
NMs can pass on their genes but like any human mutation (blue eyes being one example) the trait is only passed on to a percentage of their offspring. Some similar NM types have been noted especially on Terra/Sol. One group there, who call themselves Orcs, have facial mutations, generally a flattening of the features along with an extended brow ridge and forehead. They usually posses extended strength and sometimes extended endurance. These specific changes sometimes come at the cost of diminished intellectual capacity. However this mutation type is not the only one that seems to be repeating itself.
