Ghouls lack noses primarily due to the severe and paradoxical effects of the radiation exposure they endured. While the same intense radiation remarkably preserved much of their body, granting them extended longevity and an unusual ability to heal, it simultaneously destroyed the delicate tissue and cartilage of their noses.
It's a counterintuitive outcome: the very force that preserves much of a ghoul's form and grants them almost immortality and regenerative capabilities is also responsible for the destruction of their nasal structure. Their noses are not absent due to decay or rot but appear to have been burned away or disintegrated by the atomic energy.
This destructive process on the nose specifically highlights how the radiation acted in a complex manner:
- Preservation: Much of the ghoul's body, including skin and internal organs, is preserved, preventing typical decomposition.
- Destruction: Despite the preservation, the softer, more exposed, and delicate tissues, such as the cartilage and tissue of the nose, were effectively destroyed or incinerated by the initial overwhelming radiation.
- Healing Limitations: While ghouls possess accelerated healing, this regenerative ability does not extend to fully regenerating lost structures like the nose, which were obliterated at a cellular level by the initial blast.
Essentially, the radiation's impact on ghouls is a dichotomy of preservation and destruction, with the latter specifically targeting and removing their nasal features.
