Saturday, April 25, 2009

What cloning isn't

Framing cloning - the media and genetic science (Paul Raven)

To some extent, science fiction can be blamed for misconceptions about cloning. The more serious and thoughtful books on the subject have been somewhat overshadowed by sensationalist TV and movie plots or the technophobia of writers in the Michael Crichton mould.

But that's not for want of the facts being available; as the known sf geek in my local social circle, people ask me about topics like cloning quite a bit, and I try to give them the most realistic overview of the topic I can. It rarely works. The truth is not as compelling a story as a rogue-science thriller or a riff plucked out on the heart-strings. Perhaps I'm just not a good enough storyteller.

1 comment:

dharmicmel said...

I disagree with your assessment of Michael Crichton as being that of technophobia; someone has to express thoughts about the darkside, as well as where we may be going, and with what; all that glitters is not gold