Biology Dept -- Kenyon College -- Fall 2012

BIOL 103 Biology in Science Fiction
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Prof. Joan Slonczewski
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Learn biology through science fiction.
Use quantitative reasoning.
Save Hometree.

eBooks 

Syllabus 2012

  • What are mutants? How do they reproduce -- and avoid self-destruction? (Time Machine, Star Trek)

  • How do sentient life forms evolve? Could humans evolve into a new species? (Galapagos)

  • How do we adapt to a desert planet? (Dune)
  • How do creatures collaborate with their ecosystem? What forces threaten a planet's biosphere? (Avatar; A Door into Ocean)

  • How does genetics shape us? Could genes make us immortal? (Jurassic Park)

  • Are we the Hometree for microbial aliens?  (Brain Plague)

Student Projects

 QR Whales by Lainey McFarlane and Molly Papows

The Planet Ralinius by Brian Cannon '05

Cows in Space by Rosey Karr '05

QR Biological Warfare by Morgan Scudder-Davis and Peter Moore

QR Planetary Custodian by Liesel Schmidt and Sam Quest-Neubert

Modern Zlerin by Ellen Schuler '06

Artificial Intelligence, by Atul Varma '00

Invasion from Zeerocks by Melissa Morris '02

Biosphere II by Diana Carroll '04 and Erin Walker '02

Superfund by Karen Danis '02

Seed Banks by Diann Benti '04

CY by Whitney Bratton '06

Ellie and Oscar's Trip, by Sibel Algon '98 and Vanessa Brown '98

The Planet Altoid, by Drew Dinsmore '01 & Brendan Wilson-Barthes '99