Let's Get Physical

Superheroes never fail to impress us. But do they follow the laws of physics? James Kakalios is here to answer the question of what’s the good, bad, and ugly when it comes to adhering to the rules of science. He’s done just that in The Physics of Superheroes, which has just been rereleased in a second, revised edition.

What’s new in this second edition of The Physics of Superheroes?
There are new chapters on fluid mechanics and Aquaman, angular momentum and the Human Top and Whirlwind, and materials science and the Justice League of America and the Avengers. This last deals with all of the physics behind Wonder Woman’s bracelets, the Fantastic Four’s uniforms, and the chemical composition of Captain America’s shield. In addition, the entire text has been revised, in some cases extensively. There is a new discussion of the gravity of Krypton, an expanded chapter on the Flash and Special Relativity, and a section on energy and power as they relate to Nite-Owl II’s flying air ship Archie from Watchmen. Mathematical analysis confirms that the jokes are now 12.7 percent cornier!
 
What were/are your favorite comics?
As a kid, I loved the Flash and the Fantastic Four. Both comics would require the hero or heroes to out-think their opponents, using their powers in cool and innovative ways. Every month, these comics provided mini lessons in creative problem solving, putting an emphasis on intelligence. Of course, by the end of the story, someone would get hit!
 
Have you found that comics are a good way to reach students when teaching physics?
Absolutely! The traditional examples seem so artificial that students often don’t see any connection to their lives outside of the classroom. With superheroes, on the other hand, students never wonder when they will use the physics lessons in real life (which makes one wonder about their plans after graduation!). Moreover, the comic-book panels do not contain initial conditions or specify what needs to be calculated. Thus, analyzing these situations is actually closer to what is indeed done in the real world, where we have to make measurements or estimate various elements of a problem. By showing that physics applies even to silly situations such as superhero comic books, some serious science can be imparted.
 
Is there a moment in comics—perhaps from your childhood or in an issue that is near and dear to your heart—that you were particularly happy to discover was correct and plausible in relation to the laws of physics?
Actually, yes. As a kid, I remember reading Flash #167 back in 1967. The Scarlet Speedster had lost his ability to ignore air resistance, but maintained his other powers. Thus, he could still run at superspeed, but now would start to burn up, just as a space capsule reentering Earth’s atmosphere would. I remember very clearly being chagrined that even as a kid I had never considered the fact that having superspeed would be fairly useless without a protection against air drag. This was the first, though it would not be the last, time that I was inspired to think scientifically by a superhero comic book.
 
How did comics shape your love of physics and the study of it?
The best ones from the Silver Age always played fair. You needed to know the rules—who had what powers and how they could be used and what the weaknesses were. In science, you need to know the laws of science and how to apply them. They also required creative problem solving—how do you escape the Death Trap when the walls are closing in, the water level is rising, and they’ve removed your utility belt? We always need to come up with novel applications of scientific principles to understand and explain our research problems. And they also provided essential fashion tips!
 
Does knowing that something occurring in a comic is physically impossible lessen your enjoyment of it?
Not really. I don’t sit down every Wednesday with my stack of new comics, or at the movies when a new superhero movie comes out, with a pad of paper and calculator, crying, “My physics sense is tingling!” Rather, whenever they get the science right, either intentionally or accidently, it’s like catching an inside joke. I enjoy those moments, especially as I can now use them in my class!
 
Is there resistance from your peers or anyone else to using comics in a classroom setting?
Surprisingly not. There is a growing realization that we scientists have to do a better job of communicating our work to the general public. Every day, people who will never be scientists or engineers but WILL be citizens and voters are called upon to hold informed opinions on topics ranging from nanotechnology to climate change. If I can use superhero comic books to impart some basic science so that people can make technically sound decisions, and not be confused by those who might be technically unsound, well, it wouldn’t be the first time that these heroes have saved the day!
 
Were you surprised to find that some physicists were secretly closet comic-book fans?
Not really—see my answer to the question above about how superhero comic books influenced my love of science. They did the same for many others—as can be seen by checking the occupations of many attendees at a comic-book convention.
 
Even though you make the science in this book very accessible, even for the very physics-averse among us, The Physics of Superheroes is quite dense. Did you have any idea it would be this intense before you began it?
No. It just grew as I was writing it. I also was unsure of the reaction and feared that this might be the only book that they would ever let me write—so I resolved to get it all in! It was also a bit of an intellectual challenge—could I relate all of physics, from mechanics, force and motion, energy, heat, electricity and magnetism, up through atomic physics, quantum mechanics, solid state physics and now materials science—where the ONLY illustrations of physics principles came from superhero comic books? Thus, while the book may indeed be dense, it covers nearly everything in an undergraduate physics curriculum, a fun supplement (or alternative?) to four years of college.
 
What’s the most egregious example of bad or wrong physics that you’ve found in a comic book?
Boy, whenever Superman picks up a building or ocean liner with one hand and it DOESN’T crumble under its own weight, it gets me. Similarly, when he casually moves the planet out of its normal orbit, this sticks out to me. I wish I knew how his telescopic vision, which always focuses on the one distant point on another planet he wishes to view, works.
 
What’s your favorite story in The Physics of Superheroes?

Well, the death of Gwen Stacy, from Amazing Spider-Man #121, is a very popular example of correct physics in a comic book. The youtube video (which can also be seen at www.physicsofsuperheroes.com) shows the fun that can be had explaining real physics with practical applications, using superheroes. But my favorite may involve Ray Palmer, physics professor, in the story describing how he became the shrinking superhero The Atom. In the story, Prof. Palmer picks up a chunk of white dwarf star matter, despite the fact with a density of over three million grams per cubic centimeter, it would weigh over 50,000 tons. Which, as you know, is not technically a blooper. For we physics professors are Just. That. Strong!

-- John Hogan