BIO 131—Myths and Monsters Lab

Myths and monsters are fun to talk about, but how do you separate fact from fiction? In this laboratory we will evaluate a wide variety of evidence to determine if zombies are alive, whether monsters like Godzilla, Mothra, and King Kong are possible, and the ecological reasons why ‘cryptic species’ like bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster are unlikely to exist. We will examine the reality of genetic mutations, genetic engineering, and evolution to better understand which depictions of these biological processes in movies are and are not grounded in science. Topics will be explored through labs, which will require students to evaluate evidence with the goal of building scientific literacy to help separate science fact from science fiction