SCIENCE WATCH : Jurassic Jitters

The Tyrannosaurus rex is awesome, the velociraptors fearsome. But moviegoers should not leave a showing of the hit “Jurassic Park” with the mistaken notion that biotechnology is some kind of threat to mankind. In the film, genetic engineering--in this case the patching together of bits of dinosaur DNA material found encased in amber--brings back to life the extinct species that run amok.

Although real scientists have indeed recovered DNA from the era of dinosaurs, the giant beasts remain dead, with no change in sight. But biotechnology has succeeded in unlocking genetic secrets that give new hope to victims of diseases and help develop everything from drought-resistant crops to new drugs.

Forty years ago Francis Crick and James Watson cracked the genetic code and opened secrets of heredity in their remarkable discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. The Human Genome Project now is involved in identifying and mapping the estimated 100,000 human genes. Developments have been extraordinary.

Four-day-old Andrew Gobea made medical history in May at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles as the first infant to undergo a gene therapy operation to combat an immune system disease. In March two disease-causing genes were identified: One is believed to cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease; the other is linked to another nervous system disorder, Huntington’s disease.

“Jurassic Park” is science-fiction fun; biotechnology is real science--science that saves lives.