CHM 179 SUPERHEROES: SUPER SCIENCE?

Imagine having the ability to fly, to talk to animals or to teleport. Anyone that grew up reading comic books and science fiction may have already imagined life with super powers. As youth those special powers of our heroes were probably taken for granted, now as we look back we can ask the question as to whether fantasy has some basis in science. Furthermore, do comics promote an interest in science or do they misrepresent science? This course will not only explore the underlying science (including physics, chemistry and biology) behind some of our favorite superheroes but will also tackle the representation of science in comics like Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side. Satisfies COR non-laboratory science requirement.