All members of the Biology Society Committee and the whole department were involved. To mark Remembrance Day, which fell in the same week, Miss Simcox gave a most informative talk on the ‘Biology of War’. Biological warfare has been around for a lot longer than might be expected: the Ancient Greeks used to plant the spores of deadly fungi in the walls of enemy cities. Dr Cue also delivered a talk entitled ‘De- extinction: Should Extinct Animals be Brought Back from the Dead?’ in which he discussed the advances in genetic technology, which might mean that in the near future it will prove possible to resurrect long- extinct species such as the dodo and the sabre-toothed For most the highlight of the week was the department’s collection of living animals. This includes Muscles the boa constrictor and Nigel, Ralph and Maureen Two, Dr Cue’s very friendly panther chameleons. There was also a tame tarantula, which, perhaps surprisingly, proved to be one of the most popular exhibits. Even Miss tiger. Perhaps not surprisingly, such possibilities invite a number of interesting ethical questions.
“For most the highlight of the week was the department’s collection of living animals. This includes Muscles the boa constrictor and Nigel, Ralph and Maureen Two, Dr Cue’s very friendly panther chameleons. ”
Simcox, a confirmed arachnophobe, managed to overcome her fear to pose for a photograph with this, the ultimate in creepy-crawlies. The whole event was extremely well attended by both boys and staff. A particularly noticeable feature was the wide age range of boys in attendance, from Year 7 students who had only recently begun their formal science education, to Sixth Form boys into the second year of their A-level Biology course. The members of the Biology Society Committee proved to be excellent at helping to organise and run the event as well as answering the numerous perceptive questions from younger boys. The event was such a success that the department is already planning to make Biology Week an annual event.
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