ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Biology in fiction

Biology in fiction means when the writers use biology (the study of living things) to create a story or describe a character in a novel or movie. This includes how people, animals, and other living things behave, grow, and interact with their environment.

For example, in the movie "Jurassic Park," scientists were able to use biology to clone prehistoric creatures and bring them back to life. They explained the process of how to extract DNA (a kind of code that tells living things how to develop and function) from fossils and how to grow new creatures. They also showed how the dinosaurs behaved based on their natural instincts and how they interacted with the humans in the story.

In other stories, characters might have special abilities or traits because of their biology. For example, a superhero might have super strength or speed because of the way their muscles and nerves work. A character in a zombie story might become infected with a virus that changes their biology, making them crave brains or behave aggressively.

Overall, biology in fiction helps writers create more realistic and interesting stories by using what we know about biology from the real world to speculate about what could be possible in a fictional world.