Correct and semi-correct. Currently in human genetics, sapience brings powers with it. The original design, though, was that the power genes would gain
expression as sapience evolved, evolving along with it -- meaning in the intended scheme of things there would have been a variety of paranormal primates as
well as the final product -- and if for any reason (such as the odd retrovirus) those genes jumped species, non-primate paranormal critters as well.
In general, the power genes were intended to be winnowed by environmental stresses and whatnot as their host creatures rose to true sapience, eventually
discarding the traits they didn't need while reinforcing the traits they did. But at the moment, they are a monstrous grab-bag of modular power
"pieces" that mix and match to do different things -- and that's really what makes it difficult to engineer specific powers with
"standard" techniques. (Superscience, metahuman intelligence, or other over-the-top stuff might be able to figure it all out, of course.)
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
expression as sapience evolved, evolving along with it -- meaning in the intended scheme of things there would have been a variety of paranormal primates as
well as the final product -- and if for any reason (such as the odd retrovirus) those genes jumped species, non-primate paranormal critters as well.
In general, the power genes were intended to be winnowed by environmental stresses and whatnot as their host creatures rose to true sapience, eventually
discarding the traits they didn't need while reinforcing the traits they did. But at the moment, they are a monstrous grab-bag of modular power
"pieces" that mix and match to do different things -- and that's really what makes it difficult to engineer specific powers with
"standard" techniques. (Superscience, metahuman intelligence, or other over-the-top stuff might be able to figure it all out, of course.)
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.