An Inclusive Litany

9/2/93

From the editorial page of The New York Times, June 13, 1993:
The most interesting question is whether, if they could, scientists should resurrect a dinosaur. After all, the nations of the world are scrambling to preserve species before they become extinct. So why not bring them back if they tip into oblivion?

In Jurassic Park, an entrepreneur wants the dinosaurs for an open-air zoo on an island off Central America. Profits aside, who wouldn't drool to see such magnificent creatures, study them up close, gawk in amazement?

But is anyone thinking of the welfare of the dinos? They would be brought back to face an environment far different from the one they dominated for 160 million years—with different air, plants and animal life. Even the fiercest dino could be felled by some tiny virus for which it lacked natural defenses.

And what about human welfare? The film leaves the impression that the monsters trashing the island would be containable with just a little better zoo keeping. But Mr. Crichton's book had a darker ending. When last heard from, the dinosaurs had escaped and were eating their way toward the rain forest; one just knew there would be further trouble.