Jack Horner and James Gorman | How to Build a Dinosaur
Published: March 9, 2010
Bozeman's Jack Horner, whose fascination with dinosaurs has led him on some remarkable journeys, turns his formidable expertise to cutting-edge research in a book subtitled "Extinction Doesn’t Have to Be Forever."
In a book co-written with science writer James Gorman, he explores the controversial questions: Can we or should we build a dinosaur? Or are we interfering with nature in a way that we’ll regret?
Horner looks at current efforts to advance science – not only in reconstructing prehistoric creatures, but also to apply findings to modern-day genetics.
The book explores the new field of “evo-devo,” short for “evolutionary developmental biology, and one of the hottest fields in science. Horner and Gorman take us inside the world of laboratory research to explain what current technology is revealing – that the common chicken could be bio-chemically nudged to create a “Chickenosaurus,” without resorting to the use of ancient DNA.
Horner gives credit to several scientists and colleagues working in the paleontology field, particularly Mary Schweitzer, who, along with her lab assistant, made a groundbreaking and controversial discovery.
The language is technical, without being too daunting for most “citizen scientists,” and studded with quotes and first-person anecdotes.
If you are concerned about a real-life "Jurassic Park" scenario, fear not! As the author states in his introduction, “When we get to the point of hatching a dinosaur, it will be a decision that involves society as a whole, not just a few scientists in a laboratory.”
Horner is Regent’s Professor of Paleontology at Montana State University and curator of paleontology at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. He is also a recipient of a MacArthur Genius Award, author of several books, and was a consultant for the making of the "Jurassic Park: movies.
Gorman, who lives in New York City, is deputy science editor of The New York Times and editor of its Science Times section. Their book was published in 2009 by Penguin Group and sells for $25.95.
– Judy Shafter
