Sci-Fi Superheroes to Boost Interest in Sciences

One of the main problems facing the scientific communities in the Western world today is one that shouldn't even exist in any civilized nation – how do we get more young people interested in science? While some argue that talking directly to children in their classrooms may seem like the best idea, others have taken on a rather different approach. For example, the University of California in Irvine (UCI) is offering its students a course known as “The Science of Superheroes,” in which every action of heroes from Hollywood movies or comic books is scientifically analyzed.

In the UCI class, participants study in great detail some of the aspects that make the delight of movie viewers worldwide, such as Superman catching the falling Lois Lane. Students and teachers analyze how fast Lois is falling, depending on her weight and the height of the building, and also the time that passes since she begins to fall until she is rescued. The speed of her “savior” is also analyzed, and results show that Superman should have traveled pretty fast to get to Lois on time.

At the Georgetown University, for example, students can opt for a course called “Philosophy and Star Trek,” in which they do not talk about their favorite episodes, but rather about very complex issues, such as race and metaphysics. Questions like whether the android Data can ever be called a real person or if it will remain a machine for the rest of its life are also asked. In addition to these things, students and their teachers also talk about the paradoxes set forth by moving faster than the speed of light, as well as by moving back and forth through time.

It's still unclear if any of the science grads attend these courses, but the ones who have started them say that at least they could go a long way in persuading those who are not too inclined to start a scientific career to do so. These teachers and professors say that, if just one or two of each class would end up becoming a physicist, a chemist, or a biologist, then the effort would have been worth it.

In addition, there is another reason why the West must move fast on this issue. Alongside the fact that statistics show that a good part of the population in the US is not able to answer a basic literacy test, there is also the problem of the rising Asian nations, which are now beginning to subsidize their learning systems and to prepare the next generation of scientists. Despite centuries of tradition, it may be that the next great physicist or chemist will not come from Europe, but from China or India.