"If we want to test magic's effects on ordinary life, starting with plants isn't a good idea. Obviously, plants have longer growth cycles, and their changes are less noticeable..."
Seeing the looks in their eyes, Connors said, "All right, I know animal testing carries certain risks. Even something as small as a lizard could become highly dangerous if it were enlarged several thousand times. You've already seen that."
"I understand perfectly that every experiment carries some degree of risk." Stark shook his head and explained, "But you need to understand that conducting this kind of experiment on Earth is genuinely dangerous."
"For real-time observation, we can only conduct the preliminary tests on Earth. Once we achieve some results, perhaps we can move them off-world. Then we won't have anything to worry about."
"Let's look at this first." Connors stepped forward and took the small flowerpot. Looking at the seedling inside, he said, "A sunflower sprout... It is a little different. It does look like it has been affected by some kind of radiation."
"Different? How is it different? Why can't I see any difference?" Stark narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer. Connors said, "As it happens, I have a master's degree in botany. My master's thesis was on pollen dispersal."
"Look here." Connors stretched out a hand and pointed at the sunflower sprout's roots. "The tiny fuzz on the surface of the plant has grown longer, and perhaps denser as well. A visible change like this is already a very major alteration."
"All right, I went to a lot of trouble, and all I did was make its surface fuzz grow longer?" Peter asked.
Connors shook his head and looked at Peter. "That's what I meant. Changes in plants are more subtle. If this were a lab mouse, you