Jurassic Park Fans Are Still Confused by This Line Over 30 Years Later

Fans of “Jurassic Park” are still left wondering about one major unresolved question that the series has yet to explain. This film, directed by Steven Spielberg and adapted from Michael Crichton’s 1990 best-selling novel, revolves around a band of scientists and kids who visit an island teeming with genetically revived dinosaurs. The island is designed as a future theme park, but technical glitches at Jurassic Park allow the dinosaurs to roam free, causing chaos and forcing the human group to battle for their lives.

Back in 1993, I was utterly captivated when Jurassic Park took over as the global box office king. Since then, this franchise has produced countless sequels under the banner of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World that have kept us all hooked. However, no sci-fi saga is ever flawless, and the enigma surrounding the Lysine contingency in Jurassic Park continues to intrigue fans.

The franchise offers a rather flimsy explanation for this backup plan, and upon closer inspection, it’s riddled with inconsistencies, much like the DNA of the cloned dinosaurs themselves. This conundrum is one that Jurassic Park enthusiasts are still grappling with.

Jurassic Park‘s Lysine Contingency Explained

In the third part of the movie “Jurassic Park”, some of the remaining human characters discuss how to deal with dinosaurs roaming freely on the island. Robert Muldoon, the game warden at Jurassic Park, proposes they think about using the Lysine contingency, a backup plan intended for situations where the park’s dinosaurs might escape the island.

they can’t produce an essential amino acid called Lysine in their bodies. Without a constant supply of Lysine provided by humans, these creatures would fall into a coma and perish. Despite John Hammond investing heavily in various security systems on the island, as demonstrated throughout the Jurassic Park series, it’s clear that this Lysine contingency plan would have been inadequate if implemented, as shown in later installments of the franchise.

Why the Lysine Contingency Has Left Jurassic Park Fans Confused

In the thrilling world of “Jurassic Park: The Lost World”, I, as an awestruck observer, watched Dr. Sarah Harding (played by Julianne Moore) unravel a fascinating mystery. On the secluded Site B, she discovered that dinosaurs sustained themselves primarily on agama beans, soy, and Lysine-rich foods, with herbivores feeding carnivores when available. This revelation shed light on how these magnificent creatures survived without direct intervention from Jurassic Park staff.

However, the “Jurassic Park” series never delved into the specifics of how they distributed Lysine to their dinosaur population. Considering the inherent dangers of administering injections to a T-Rex or velociraptors, it’s safe to assume that such a method was out of the question.

But with Dr. Ian Malcolm estimating a survival timeline of seven days for Lysine-deficient dinosaurs in “The Lost World”, ensuring their Lysine supply became a critical concern. After all, these magnificent creatures were brought back to life; it would be a shame to see them perish due to something as preventable as a lack of essential nutrients.

A more practical way to ensure dinosaurs get enough Lysine might be based on Harding’s finding by providing Lysine-rich plants for herbivores and supplying these herbivores to carnivores. However, this raises questions about why anyone in The Lost World is astonished that dinosaurs have survived without human-supplied Lysine. Moreover, it brings up the intricate and messy challenges of feeding Lysin-consuming herbivores to carnivores, which would lead to a massive issue of needing to clone twice as many herbivores and frequently rotating them into the park, causing havoc on Jurassic Park’s budget.

In addition, a point of confusion regarding Lysine contingency in “Jurassic Park” arises from its seeming irrelevance within the storyline, as Hammond swiftly rejects Muldoon’s proposal, deeming it “impossible.” Given the pandemonium and human casualties occurring in the park, along with Hammond’s own grandchildren going missing, one might question Hammond’s dismissal of using Lysine contingency. To be fair, at this stage in the movie, Hammond is still holding onto hope that he can regain control over the park, which could explain his reluctance to employ the Lysine contingency. However, even considering this, the Lysine contingency would not have been an effective solution in a crisis like “Jurassic Park,” as the humans were able to survive for a week without Lysine despite being hunted by dinosaurs.

The Lysine Contingency Illustrates Ian Malcolm’s Point About Jurassic Park

Ultimately, the Lysine contingency theory serves as another example supporting Dr. Ian Malcolm’s prediction in Jurassic Park that the park would inevitably fail. Early in the novel, Malcolm expresses doubts about the park’s longevity and InGen’s application of genetic engineering to revive dinosaurs, comparing it to a child discovering his father’s gun. He also questions the Jurassic Park team’s methods for security and population control, dismissively remarking that “Life, uh, finds a way.

It’s clear that Malcolm is right when he criticizes the Jurassic Park scientists for trying to control creatures they don’t fully comprehend, given the dinosaurs’ Lysine deficiency and the unpredictable factors in their environment. This flaw in the Lysine plan was glaringly obvious, even in a fictional setting like Jurassic Park. The Lysine plan was bound to fail, as demonstrated not only by Ian Malcolm’s warnings, but also by the confusion of many Jurassic Park fans over how easily the series dismisses this issue.

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2025-01-11 17:39