How plausible is the science and technology we see in sci-fi movies? How far away are we from resurrecting extinct animals, like in the movie Jurassic Park? Or a society where we design offspring with any traits we desire, like in Gattaca? What are the ethical implications involved these kinds of scientific advances or technologies?

In this episode, I talk with Nisha Iyer, PhD, a biomedical researcher and assistant professor at Tufts University. Dr. Iyer teaches a class to first-year biomedical engineering students called “Applications in Engineering: Sci-Fi Bioengineering” in which she uses five popular sci-fi movies to explore the foundational science in them as well as help students consider the ethical dimensions of real and imagined advances.

Learn more about Dr. Nisha Iyer’s work on her Tufts University Profile at https://facultyprofiles.tufts.edu/nisha-iyer, or follow her on Twitter at @NishaIyerPhD.