If we assume that the x-men movies and the Avenger movies take place in the same universe than it is possible that the cosmic cube caused the surge in mutations seen between X-men: First Class and the other movies. In First Class, Shaw claimed that mutants were the children of the atomic bomb. Now, of course there were mutants before that but most likely not as many (if there were, than the government would have known about them before Charles revealed himself). In Iron Man it is mentioned several times that Howard Stark worked on the atomic bomb. At the end of Captain America, Howard recovers the cube from under the sea. Red Skull thought the power of the cosmic cube was meant to be seized by superior men. Put it together and what do you get? Howard Stark used Cosmic Cube technology to cr