Danny_Inglewood

Hi John, all this info is fantastic. I actually delivered a paper over the summer for the International Gothic Association. My focus has been primarily 19th c. gothic novels and the real science inspiring the fictional scientists such as Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll, Griffin (the Invisible Man), and Dr. Moreau. The focus has been to source the fear of science so prevalent among large groups during the pandemic. All of the above were written in speculation on up-to-date scientific theories and practices (such as Luigi Galvani's belief in scientific necromancy through electricity, Wells extrapolating the potential danger of newly discovered X-rays, etc.) But the masses have far more access to popular fiction containing fantastic and speculative science as oppose to clear and easy access to real scientific theorems, advancements, etc. So, what seems to result is a sort of intertextuality of fact and fiction, which feeds inherent prejudice or mistrust in actual medical science.

Apologies for the ramble. I am most curious if you have ever come across any odd correlations with the scientific revolution of the late 19th and early 20th century and our relationship to death? Or any rise of misconceptions.

The genesis of my question is that, at least in Canada, many anti-vax arguments were from a fear of "DNA mutation." I'm wondering if you might have any similar anecdotes from your field.

Thank you for your time and this wildly interesting AMA.

Oh, that's an excellent point. There's actually a fascinating exploratory essay by Wells called "The Limits of Individual Plasticity." He mused on the interchangeability of organelles from not just person to person, but animal to person. I can see how even a liver transplant would be considered as abominable as transplanting bat wings, or some such.

Our collective apprehension of technology seems to remain problematic. I say in a hushed voice, lest Mr. Gates or Tim Cook hear me.