"People have freaked out when I tell them that my dragons are scientifically based... what else can you call a genetically engineered life form?"

Anne McCaffrey's quote is a reference to her popular science fiction series, the Dragonriders of Pern. In the series, dragons are genetically engineered life forms developed by humans to assist secure the planet from a deadly organism called Thread. McCaffrey's quote recommends that people are shocked to find out that dragons are based in science, as they are typically seen as legendary creatures. However, McCaffrey is mentioning that dragons are really a form of genetic engineering, and that they are not just a fantasy of the imagination. This quote highlights the value of science in producing brand-new life forms, and how it can be utilized to safeguard the planet from unsafe organisms. It likewise functions as a suggestion that science can be utilized to create remarkable things, and that it must not be dismissed as something that just exists in dream.