The Island (2005)
Scientist: Dr Merrick (Sean Bean)
Contribution To Science: Merrick has set up a unique service for the rich and powerful, in which he will grow the clone of a client and keep it safe and healthy. When the client has need of the clone (organ replacement or whatever), the clone is tricked into believing they've won a lottery which allows them to leave the island.
If His Creation Was Real: You could drink, smoke and party hard, knowing you could go in for a parts-change whenever necessary.
Piranha (1978)
Scientist: Dr Robert Hoak (Kevin McCarthy)
Contribution To Science: Hoak was formerly in charge of a secret Vietnam War experiment known as Operation: Razorteeth. The aim was to create a breed of super piranhas to attack the Viet Cong via the country's many rivers, but the project was abandoned after the war finished. Hoak's surviving experiments went on to escape, and they caused havoc by terrorising the local community.
If His Creation Was Real: We'd be intrigued to see how the war efforts would have escalated, with each side producing ever-more vicious armies of mutant animals.
Jurassic Park (1993)
Scientist (well, billionaire philanthropist): John Hammond (Richard Attenborough)
Contribution To Science: Hammond's team of scientists work on recreating dinosaurs by extracting dino-DNA from fossilised mosquitoes and combining it with the genetic material of the common frog. The careless team neglected to account for the fact that frogs can reproduce asexually when the situation calls for it, and this only adds to the various safety issues at the park.
If His Creation Was Real: Disneyland would go bust overnight.
The Avengers (1998)
Scientist: Sir August de Wynter (Sean Connery)
Contribution To Science: August de Wynter is behind a machine that can control the weather. Rather than use the machine for good, de Wynter decides to hold the world to ransom, and charge ridiculous amounts of cash for the weather, boasting "Weather is no longer in God's hands but in mine".
If His Creation Was Real: Typical British summers would become a thing of folklore.
Flatliners (1990)
Scientist: Med student Nelson (Kiefer Sutherland)
Contribution To Science: Inquisitive Nelson becomes obsessed with the idea of experiencing death, and he convinces his student buddies to help him experience life after death for just one minute before resuscitating him. His friends soon want to experience 'flatlining' for themselves, but it isn't long before the gang find they are being haunted by the ghosts of their pasts.
If His Creation Was Real: We'd probably give it a miss, thank you very much.
The 6th Day (2000)
Scientist: Dr. Griffin Weir (Robert Duvall)
Contribution To Science: Weir is behind the cloning pioneered by Replacement Technologies. The company clone organs and pets, as well as having an illegal line in human replicating. Replacement Technologies runs into trouble when they mistakenly produce a clone of Adam Gibson (Arnold Schwarzenegger).
If His Creation Was Real: We hope they'd use the technology to reproduce the Arnie from the days when his films were actually decent.
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Scientist: Dr Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina)
Contribution To Science: Octavius' contributions were twofold. In attempting to solve the world's energy crises by harvesting power from fusion, Octavius develops some additional mechanised arms to help him with his experiments. The awesome limbs get fused to the doc's body when a demonstration goes wrong, earning him the convenient nickname Doc Ock.
If His Creation Was Real: Getting four new, super-powered limbs would be the cosmetic surgery procedure du jour .
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
Scientist: Dr Henry Jekyll (Fredric March)
Contribution To Science: Dr Jekyll experiments with potions in an attempt to reveal the true evil that he believes lurks beneath the surface of all men. Testing the potion on himself, he unleashes the beastly, depraved Hyde from within himself. Despite his best efforts to the contrary, Jekyll's's unable to quit the addictive drug.
If His Creation Was Real: There would have to be designated Hyde zones with pre-defined curfews, in which we could all let our animal instincts run loose.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Scientist: Wayne Szalinski (Rick Moranis)
Contribution To Science: Szalinski builds an electromagnetic shrink ray in his attic, though he's unable to get it working properly. Unfortunately for him, his kids (and a couple of the neighbours') start poking around and discover the ray actually works. Szalinski then accidentally sweeps the miniature children up and chucks them out with the trash, setting them off on a small-scale adventure.
If His Creation Was Real: There would be so many places we'd be desperate to explore in tiny form…
Junior (1994)
Scientists: Dr Alex Hesse (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Dr Larry Arboghast (Danny DeVito)
Contribution To Science: The pair of gynaecologists have been working on a new drug to help prevent miscarriages. Since they're forbidden from testing their product on women, they decide to artificially impregnate Hesse, who goes full term, and discovers the joys of a lady problems including sore nipples and uncontrollable sobbing.
If Their Creation Was Real: We can't picture many blokes volunteering to be the child-bearer.
