14 DAY TRIAL // Normally, the links between the vast fields of science and visual entertainment are restricted to casual depictions or to the fact that the former helps enhancing the possibilities of the latter, but it's very rarely that this goes both ways. That is why the National Academy of Sciences tried to address the matter through its "The Science and Entertainment Exchange" initiative held on Wednesday at the Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles.
Screenwriters and movie directors that attended the conference were captivated by the facts described by scientists, most related to the latest scientific research. Among the topics discussed were the fate of climate in the light of observable global warming results, infectious and rare diseases, our position within the universe, personalized genomics and medicine, advanced robotics and artificial intelligence, or the wonders of the brain.
The entertainment representatives asked a lot of questions, especially when the terms involved were less comprehensible, but the scientists tried to maintain a relaxed atmosphere and to limit the technicalities to a minimum. As a general conclusion, the effort was highly appreciated and, as Jerry Zucker (director for the movies "Airplane!" and "Ghost") stated by borrowing a line from "Casablanca", "This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship".
The host of the event, Seth MacFarlane (creator and producer of the animated series Family Guy) shared, "I grew up watching Star Trek and I remember we used to be so excited about NASA and what they were doing, but you don't hear about it much anymore and people don't seem to be as interested. We need to get people excited about science again, because there are so many interesting things that are happening".
"This is the Academy's first formal effort to reach out to Hollywood," added Ralph Cicerone, the president of the National Academy of Sciences, cited by LiveScience. "We are very excited to launch this initiative."