Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Hollywood and Biotechnology


Summer is on and with the scorching heat gaining momentum, students are restricted to their homes. Cable TV, video games and movies are some of the options which most students consider for their time of leisure. Like most students, I too watch movies and my favourite are the ones related to science and technology or science fiction. In a way these movies are the harbingers of what the future might holds for us. As the film producers try to amalgamate science with fiction and myth, the complexities of science are presented in a way easily grasped by a lay-man. The genre is in existence since the days of the silent movies when in 1902, A Trip to the Moon was released. Since then, studios throughout the world have released countless sci-fi movies which received critical acclaim and box-office success. As in real world, these movies also show the positive and negative aspects of science. For example, Spider Man, the Hulk, Hollow man, Resident Evil, and other such block-busters show the real power of our DNA and genetic codes and what a mutation can do. However imaginary these movies are, they allow us to peek into the minds of humans and expand our horizon of thoughts. Being the student of science myself, I enjoy the movies which are about the science especially, genetics or biotechnology. Here I recommend some of the sci-fi movies about biotechnology.

Alien (1979) – a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which stalks and kills the crew of a spaceship.

The Andromeda Strain (1971) – is about investigation of a deadly extraterrestrial microorganism that rapidly and fatally clots human blood.

GATTACA (1997) – is about a eugenic society where potential children are selected through pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to ensure they possess the best hereditary traits of their parents.

Hollow Man (2000) is about the ordeal of a scientist who renders himself invisible and cannot revert back to visible world.

The Hulk (2003) – about a geneticist who experiments on himself and alter his DNA which transfers to his son which transforms him into a giant.

I am Legend (2007) – about a virologist who is immune to a vicious man-made virus originally created to cure cancer, and is feeling like the last man on earth living amongst the virus-infected community.

Jurassic Park (1993) – when a team of genetic scientists create an amusement park of cloned dinosaurs.

X-Men (2000) – about how to maintain relationship with mutants.

Resident Evil (200) is about a genetic research facility which is contaminated by a virus and in response the system kills everybody inside the facility.

Spider Man (2002) – is about a school boy who is bitten by a genetically engineered spider while on a visit to a genetics laboratory, and becomes Spiderman.

Hope you enjoy the rest of the summer. Cheers.

(This article was written for NAYS (National Academy of Young Scientists Pakistan) e-Newsletter and can be found here.)

29 comments:

  1. V good suggestion to spend leisure time during long summer vacation, in this way one can get important info. Through interesting way. I realy appriciate it.V good suggestion to spend leisure time during long summer vacation, in this way one can get important info. Through interesting way. I realy appriciat it.

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  2. Awww you have named all my fav movies...hey bt there is nothing wrong mentioning some light comedy movies...do try LEAP YEAR for a change or P.S I LOVE YOU..you will like them:)

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  3. good info relatd 2 sci-fi movie i personly like movies based on science its givz an idea of applied sciencez. But before planing to watch a movie charge ur laptopz coz tha WAPDA z vry sympthatc ths sumerz . . . Lolz
    nice sugestionz israr to pass sumerz. . . :) like movies based on science its givz an idea of applied sciencez. But before planing to watch a movie charge ur laptopz coz tha WAPDA z vry sympthatc ths sumerz . . . Lolz
    nice sugestionz israr to pass sumerz. . . :)

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  4. opz the msg postd twice automatcaly . . :P

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  5. nice but how to download
    ..........

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  6. @kiran... thanks...hope you watch these too :)

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  7. @mishi...yup comedies are also good but the theme here was sci-fi and biology so that is why i only included these... anyhow nice suggestion by you :)

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  8. @almas... yes do watch these..and yes charge your laptop or ups as wapda is in furious mood these days :P

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  9. @almas...no prob..this happens sometimes that comments are posted twice :)

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  10. @israr... i don't know how these can be downloaded? i think these are easily available at any video shop :)

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  11. these movies can easily b downloaded by using a special softwear by the name u torent so download it 1st than the job become quiet easy as it also act as a search engine. So enjoy thez block buster movies.

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  12. @M.israr. . . .but for charging one need cntinuous electric suply and wapda is furious since 1947. .:P but one can watch thz in partz as thez r realy fantastic movies. . :)

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  13. @almas...yup i forgot that :) for charging laptop, one needs electricity as well :) parts idea is practical :) just like the television dramas :)

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  14. nice collection..i hope i can find a single DVD of this collection :)

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  15. wow nice collection i've been through few si-fi movies :)

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  16. I've seen most of those. I watched "Andromeda Strain when it came out (I was 9) and it haunted me. I also really like books that deal with biotechnology.

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  17. @secretagent...
    yup Andromeda strain is a good movie and also the mythical andromeda ...very scary :)

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  18. If I were still a student I would rather spend more time out:) old good days!

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  19. @Ola... yes but its not a very good idea to be outdoors when the ambiance is 50 celsius :)

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  20. nice

    but i am student of engg as u know

    will try my best to understand biotechnology

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  21. @basharat...yes bro i know you are from engg but still you can enjoy these sci-fi movies this summer :)

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  22. wow,,,,,,,,,, Misterio u r really a mind reader,,,,, u know I was really bored by the technological movies which are no more less than cartoons these days,,,,, but for the movies u mentioned, I will say at least we can watch these with a little corner in mind supporting the myth and notion of the picture,,,that its something very possible if allowed,,,, You present all these movies in such a beautiful comprehensive order that I am compelled to paste this blog on the main show board of my institute.... and I am quite sure that this will add four stars to my name in the good book with my boss,,,hahaha great man I am proud of you,,,,, just carry on writing such a stunner,,,but I wish to see ur artifacts in express tribune soon,,,,:)

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  23. @adian...thanks man... and yes these movies are very much acceptible to mind and may will happen in the very near future... yes sure you do post it on ur institute and send me the link as well :) but if your boss kicks you out then dont blame me :P

    and express tribune has to really raise their standards if they want me to write for them...hahahahahaha... man i send them a few writings which they never bothered to publish so i stop sending them anymore...they want sensationalism which i cant or do not want to write.... :)

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  24. Israr Buddy! I’ve read the passage and find myself like hypnotized by looking at serials you mentioned for avoiding scorching heat. I have noticed one thing in your personality which no body spotted out till now, is how thorough and deep interest you have inside for your profession i.e. Biotechnology that even you wrote on recreational activities which are closely linked with your skills/professional knowledge. Sci-Fi movies are now getting reputable business due to the latest research portrayed in it. I personally like them to watch; indeed I am not a bio-scientist but always looking for magic of science i.e. Glowing Quality of the Modern World.

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  25. @atif... yes buddy you sure can avoid the scorching heat by staying indoors if the wapda allows :P
    yes it is inevitable..your environment plays a big role in your likings and unconsciously you start to think about your own topic in any thing around you :) just like you are a professional chartered accountant and so you search and audit for quality in everything around you :)

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  26. @Israr buddy your comments are of the class :) now it is inevitable to avoid scorching heat as Wapda is working like a scavengers :)
    We all i.e. EYians are lovers of Quality and same sounds by our slogan "Quality in every thing we do" and nice to imagine that it is being implanted in your character plus personality as depicted by your article writings :)
    the only trait similar among both of us :)

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  27. @atif...yes sure buddy... due to the critical appraisal of people like you, i am bound to bring quality into my blogposts... hope you will continue to critically evaluate in the future as well :)

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