Bishop’s Physics Teacher Talks Science and Movies at Comic-Con

Comic-Con has invaded San Diego once again, drawing an eclectic combination of comic book fans, science fiction enthusiasts, gamers and our favorite superheroes. Bishop’s physics teacher and author, Mr. Adam Weiner, has been invited to participate in the Comic-Con panel, "Fiction vs. Reality: An Investigation of Science in Movies" on July 21. During this panel event, Mr. Weiner will discuss with Hollywood science advisors, screenwriters and San Diego scientists “the fine balance between storytelling, imagination and realistic science.”

 

A: I wrote a book called Don’t Try This At Home! The Physics of Hollywood Movies several years ago, in which I analyzed the physics in a multitude of Hollywood movies. The book was, in some respects, an outgrowth of projects we did in my physics classes at Bishop’s, where we would take scenes from movies and deconstruct them according to principles of physics. As a result of the book, I sometimes get invited to speak or present on the subject at a variety of venues. This is my second time doing Comic-Con. This time, I was invited through a connection at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, where I gave a presentation last October.

A: A classic movie and classic example of accurate movie physics is the film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the movie, there are a multitude of scenes where the director (Stanley Kubrick) went to great lengths to present — as accurately as possible — what it would be like to be in space. He demonstrated the nonexistence of sound in space, accurate depictions of Newton’s Laws of Motion and artificial gravity.

 

There are many examples (mostly action, sci-fi and superhero movies) that depict impossible events according to physics as we know it. One excessive example among many would be the movie Armageddon. While the premise itself is real (a large asteroid colliding with Earth), almost everything else defies the laws of physics. There is a scene near the end of the movie where a crew of astronauts and oil rig drillers are drilling a hole in the asteroid in order to plant a nuclear bomb and blow the asteroid in half. In the scene, there are things falling (rocks, equipment, etc.) at the same rate of acceleration as if they were on Earth. This is impossible because an asteroid would have almost zero gravity. There were also loud clanking sounds when the debris hits the ground. Asteroids have no atmosphere, so there would be no sound. Also, some flaming meteorites come flying at the astronauts for some reason. Having no atmosphere means there is no way they could ignite.

Screenwriters and directors primarily are out to make a compelling story. This is totally understandable. Unfortunately, this means they will often completely disregard physical reality in order to make the story more “exciting.” I am certainly not a stickler for completely accurate science in movies. It would be a silly requirement to apply to an entertainment form that is essentially fantasy. However, just as with a period piece that has more richness and believability when the details of the world are painstakingly incorporated into the film, when possible, if the science in the movie could be approached the same way, I think it would make for a richer, more interesting movie.

 

A: I think that Spiderman is my favorite superhero because he starts off as a science nerd. He’s not a popular kid before he gains his super powers, and it’s nice to see him evolve from his relative underdog status, applying his introspective embracing of things scientific into his hero role.

 

In superhero movies, we must allow superheroes to have their powers, recognizing the unreality, or else they can’t exist! What we can do however, is look at some of these powers and analyze them in terms of physics. What would really be required to be able to do some of these things they can do?

 

A: Some great movies that are useful in illustrating physics include Apollo 13, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Gravity. Some overall favorites are Crimes and Misdemeanors, Apocalypse Now and Galaxy Quest, to name a few from a much larger list.