'Dinosaurs' Teaches Science Literacy, Has Place in Core

To the editors:

I read with great interest in the Oct. 19 Crimson (“A Scientific Problem,” editorial) support for the elimination of my course “Dinosaurs and Their Relatives” from the core because it “fail[s] to provide basic scientific literacy.” Fascinating—especially given that I specifically designed the course to teach key scientific concepts in geology and biology, and the processes of scientific discovery! Perhaps it was a mistake to capitalize on the broad interest in dinosaurs to achieve these goals.

What are the core concepts I teach? First, I introduce the fundamentals of Geology as we consider the vastness of geologic time. I then use the global distribution of dinosaurs to introduce how the Earth operates as a dynamic system—how mantle convection moves the tectonic plates, which in turn control the distribution of natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes. We then address how dinosaurs came to be. Here, I concentrate on the central unifying principle in biology, Darwin’s theory of evolution. We then confront the challenging question of how we make inferences about the biology of extinct organisms, which centers on how we make inferences about the past (also relevant to the humanities). Along the way, students learn much about dinosaurs, biomechanics, and key concepts such sexual selection, species concepts, etc.

In the labs students learn how to interpret fossils, and how to use DNA sequences to determine evolutionary relationships. I also lecture on how advances in our understanding of the genome, for example the discovery of the Hox genes, bear on our understanding of morphological evolution. Finally, I discuss how we, Homo sapiens, fit into the tree of life, how our anatomy is largely a consequence of our early vertebrate heritage, and how our history fits into that of our planet. And I have been able to make this fundamental and rigorous science course popular.

Structurally, the course is organized around demonstrating how scientific statements flow from the interplay of data and concept. There is no shortage of the “scientific method” in the course. Finally, I strive to convey the wonder and joy that can flow from the scientific endeavor. I strongly believe that in institutions of higher learning there ought to be a place for courses that excite the mind, and that enhance our appreciation of how we came to be and of our place on the planet.

Perhaps the aforementioned Crimson article represents a case of judging a book by its cover. I chose the title “Dinosaurs and Their Relatives” to entice students to the sciences. They learn about a great deal more than just dinosaurs. And I presumed, perhaps mistakenly, that others would also recognize that fact. Now, I could have called the course the “An Introduction to the Earth Sciences, Evolutionary Biology and Paleontology, Using Dinosaurs and All Their Terrestrial Vertebrate Relatives (Including Humans) as a Vehicle.” But that’s a little cumbersome! So I opted for a shorter title. The title notwithstanding, there is a great deal more science to Science B-57 than just dinosaurs.



CHARLES R. MARSHALL

Cambridge, Mass.

October 19, 2006



The writer is professor of biology and geology.