Science of Superheroes

[Southern Cross]

Actually,the reason that superheroes don't "Bulk Up" as you suggest is that their MASS wouldn't increase in proportion to their increased volume.The Hulk would end up like Bouncing Boy from the LSH.
Besides while "other dimensions" exist according to string theory,it seems highly unlikely that they have the properties in real life that they have in comic books.

[Andrew_A]

I bought the book, read the exact scientific reason for why Superman couldn't possibly exist, and then realised that I'd wasted my money. Do I really need a science book to tell me what every ten-year-old already knows?

I was hoping for a book that would give me an idea of what aspects of superheroes could reasonably exist or what they would be like if they did exist. Instead I got an in-depth explanation of why the Fantastic Four are impossible. Stupid.

For an idea of how to build superheroes using modified science check out Wild Cards volume 1.

Way better.

[PhantomGM6101]

Better yet Try the latest Wild Cards novel,Dueces Wild It may bring some light to the Wild Cards world sinces the events of the Black Trump trilogy.
Have You also read the Science of Superman yet? If not check it out and compare it with the previous book.

[loraxxx]

I've just checked out a book called THE SCIENCE OF SUPERHEROES
If by any chance you see this book in a bookstore or a library,check it out, it might give you a laugh or couple of groans.

saw the special on THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL--was not impressed....

[Arthur]

modified[/I] science check out Wild Cards volume 1.

Maybe. I am a HUGE fan of the Wild Cards series. It's my favorite set of stories. At first, I was really impressed with that "everything is psi-based" explanation.

Now I'm not so sure it's all that much of an improvement.

All they really did was use the same rubber-science buzzword for all powers. It doesn't really link to anything in the real world (Dr. Rhine notwithstanding).

Think of it this way: if you took the word "psi" and replaced it with the word "witchcraft" or "balonium", would it really make any difference in terms of a real-world explanation? Introducing one fictional concept to explain many fictional concepts doesn't really accomplish much, now does it?

However, as I said, I LOVED the Wild Cards books. Still do. If I could stay in one place long enough to justify a fiction collection again, it would be on top of my list.

[PhantomGM6101]

I've also read about the Hulk and their explanation is totally short of ludicris. According to their thoeries there is only one way that a man can imitate the Hulks transformations and that is with steriods and something called GFP or something,never even once examining the effects of adrenilin .
to qoute directly from this chapter:'Gamma rays are like light a form of electromagnetic radiation. Gamma rays are emitted by radioactive substances like Cesium137,cobalt60 and Uranium235. along with alpha and beta rays,gamma rays are emttied when a nuclear explosion takes place."
"Hard radiation doesn't transform living cells.Nor does it cause certain glands to overreact and mutate human bodies. Hard radiation in large doses does one thing and it does that well: it kills. The Hulk just doesn't make sense according to his origin story. Niether do the Fantastic 4. Marvel's earliest heroes just are'nt possible and they never were."
according to this the only way Bruce Banner can hulk out would to take a 'super steroid' and a chemical call GFP. Any ideas on what a character that would create? or the dangers of what drug use can do?
Opinions every one[read Chapter three]

[AngryBug]

[QUOTE=Lupus] I hated the Official Handbooks to the Marvel Universe. Its...
100-ton strength limitation was ludicrous - totally blown out of the water by the comics themselves....
QUOTE]

Well, actually, it wasn't a limitation. "Class 100" strength specifically referred to being able to "lift (press) in excess of 100 tons". They never defined an upper limit to how much Class 100 characters could lift, like they did with anyone who could lift less than or equal to 100 tons. Basically, it just meant, "Strength Level: Really ****ing Strong".

As far as books about scientific explanations of superpowers go, I see several ways to look at it; you can use real world science to show why they can't work (the Atom can't breathe if his lungs are too small to take in oxygen molecules, if you're exposed to radiation you'll get a painful blood disease and die, etc...), you can use pseudoscience to at least make it sound plausible (a la TOHOTMU DE), or you can use real world science to explore theories of what might be possible (check out The Physics of Star Trek by Lawrence M. Krauss for an example of this approach). I always think it's more fun to look at what is possible, rather than what isn't.

Anyway, we know it's possible because the Superheroes can do it. I'm reminded of the episode of Futurama where Professor Farnsworth clones himself, and the young clone runs around explaining how the Professor's Smell-O-Scope and FTL Starship are impossible , ignoring the fact that, well, there they are.

What? Superheroes aren't what? Aren't real?
Are you sure?
.................................................. ................

I'm going to go lie down now.