Biology Department, Kenyon College

 

BIOL 103 Biology in Science Fiction

Learn biology through science fiction books and films.

Syllabus

Prof. Joan Slonczewski

In Fall 2000 the new alien Co-instructor is . . . to be announced.

Previous co-instructors have included:
In 1997, Xenon of Castor 6 came on a special mission from the Pan-galactic Bureau of Investigation (PBI), to investigate reports of "alien impersonation" on Earth, such as the Heaven’s Gate tragedy.  He or she helped avert future incidents by teaching Earthlings about the true nature of life throughout the galaxy. 

A microbial pleomorph, Xenon has been known to take on many different forms. This is how he last appeared on Earth.

Image courtesy Wayne Barlowe, Barlowe's Guide to the Galaxy
Yyrda of Betelgeuse, Visiting Professor of Extra-Betelgean Studies, co-taught BIOL 103 in 1996.  One of 20,000 mating types in his/her own species, Yyrda was conducting research on human reproduction. Sculpture portrait courtesy of Toby Rand '97.

Special thanks to Zorgon of Alpha Aquarii 3, who conceived and founded BIOL 103 in 1995.   Zorgon was a bat-shaped being who hung out in the residence of President Oden.   He has since metamorphosed into a higher developmental stage, to serve on the council of the Pan-Galactic Federation.

New -- Study Guide for The Children Star. Alien encounter with a twist: What if we colonize a new world, and "they" try to colonize "us"?

Some questions we study include:

Original web design  by Jeremy Collins, Jon Fitzgerald, and Doug McMillen