The physics of superheroes
By: James Kakalios.
Publisher: Gotham
Published: 2005
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 365
Subjects: Physics -- Study and teaching; Science in popular culture; Comic books, strips, etc. in education; Comic books, strips, etc. -- History
Description: "In The Physics of Superheroes acclaimed university professor James Kakalios shows that comic-book heroes and villains get their physics right more often than you think." "In this scientific survey of superpowers you'll learn what the physics of forces and motion can reveal about Superman's strength and the true cause of the destruction of his home planet, Krypton; what villains Magneto and Electro can teach us about the nature of electricity; and finally get the definitive answer about whether it was the Green Goblin or Spider-Man's webbing that killed the Wall Crawler's girlfriend Gwen Stacy in that fateful plunge from the George Washington Bridge!" "Along the way, The Physics of Superheroes explores everything from energy, to thermodynamics, to solid state physics, and Kakalios relates the physics in comic books to such real-world applications as automobile air bags, microwave ovens, and transistors. You'll also see how comic books have often been ahead of science in explaining recent topics in quantum mechanics (with Kitty Pryde of the X-Men) and string theory (with Crisis on Infinite Earths)." "This is the book you need to read if you ever wondered how the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four can see when she turns transparent, if the Atom could travel on an electron through a phone line, or if electromagnetic theory can explain how Professor X reads minds. Fun, provocative, and packed with more superheroes and superpowers than an Avengers-Justice League crossover, The Physics of Superheroes will make both comic-book fans and physicists exclaim, 'Excelsior!'"--Jacket.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.