by Santos Mosqueda (Posted on January 30, 2026 @ 12:36 p.m.)

Jurassic Park, written by Michael Crichton, is a science fiction story inspired by real scientific ideas. The novel and movie explore the exciting possibility of bringing dinosaurs back to life through DNA. Even though the story is fictional, it helps readers learn about genetics and how modern science works.

In Jurassic Park, scientists extract dinosaur DNA from mosquitoes trapped in amber and use it to clone dinosaurs. While this idea is fascinating, it is not scientifically possible in real life because DNA cannot survive for millions of years. This part of the story shows how science fiction often stretches real science to create an exciting plot.

The story also introduces the concept of genetic engineering, which involves changing an organism’s DNA. Some scientists, unsurprisingly, balk at Jurassic Park. After all, the science is so inaccurate. Velociraptors were smaller and had feathers. Dilophosaurus wasn’t venomous. Tyrannosaurus rex could not run so fast. That opening scene where the paleontologists simply wipe sand off an intact and perfectly preserved dinosaur skeleton is hogwash. In the movie, scientists use frog DNA to fill in missing pieces of dinosaur DNA. Genetic engineering is real and is used today in fields like medicine and agriculture, although not in the extreme way shown in the film.

More importantly, Jurassic Park isn’t simply about the facts. Nor, as many reviewers complained at the time of its initial release, does the movie seek to tell stories about fully three-dimensional human characters. Rather, it offers a fable about the natural world and humanity, and the relationship between the two: science, technology, imagination, aspiration, folly, power, corruption, hubris, wild nature in its many forms, and, most importantly, dinosaurs.

One of the most important lessons in Jurassic Park is the responsibility that comes with scientific power. The story shows how technology can become dangerous when scientists ignore ethical concerns and consequences. This reminds readers that scientific discoveries should always be used carefully and responsibly.

In conclusion, Jurassic Park is educational because it blends science with meaningful life lessons. Even though dinosaurs cannot be brought back to life, the story helps people better understand genetics and the importance of using science wisely.