On the opening weekend of "Jurassic Park," the new Steven Spielberg movie based on the Michael Crichton book, the UC Davis geology department is hosting a free public symposium for people who want to learn more about the science behind the story.
Geology professor Ken Verosub will talk about how to separate science from fiction; paleontologist Richard Cowen will discuss the image of dinosaurs as "killing machines"; and geneticist Charles Gasser will talk about the possibility of designing dinosaurs from discovered bits of DNA.
After the talks, there will be time for general discussion. The symposium will be held 1-3 p.m. Sunday, June 13, in 66 Roessler Hall on campus. Beginning at noon, people may browse among the dinosaur exhibits in the nearby Physics/Geology building.