Celebrate the rise of superwomen and discover the science behind the abilities of Wonder Woman, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Catwoman, and more!
Superhero fiction has been with us for almost a century; high-octane tales crammed with concepts and contrasting themes, from superpowers and the post-human, to masked vigilantes and immortality. In that time, superwomen have evolved from comic book caricatures (created by men, for men) to stronger representations of female power.
The Science of Superwomen looks at this evolution, from its hypersexualized origins to today's more nuanced diversity. Focusing on characters from Star Wars and X-Men, as well as the likes of Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Captain Marvel, Harley Quinn, Wednesday Addams, Doctor Who, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Science ofSuperwomen explores the relationship between superhero film and fiction and the underlying science of our ever-evolving universe.
Take a trip beyond this Earth to explore the myths of The Mandalorian and uncover the anatomy of the newest space western in the Star Wars Universe. Star Wars dominates the film world. The combined box office revenue of the Star Wars movies equates to over $10 billion, making it the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time. But this franchise is no blaster from the past. Its fantastically successful films have now been followed by multiple television series set in that same galaxy far, far away. The franchise’s flagship television series, and likely the firmest fan favorite for some time to come, is The Mandalorian. Tracing the tale of the titular bounty hunter, traveling across the furthest reaches of that mythic galaxy, The Mandalorian has been greatly praised and highly acclaimed for creating characters with gravitas and originality, worlds with depth and impact, resulting in some of the best Star Wars content ever. Even though it’s set in deep space, The Mandalorian has as much in common with Western movies as it does with science fiction. Saloons. Bandits. “Gun” duels. Bounty hunters. Outlaws with a price on their heads. Space exploration as a “final frontier.” And a wild hero who doesn’t quite belong in a lawless part of the Galaxy after the fall of Empire. The Science of The Mandalorian takes you on a badass journey with a mysterious, lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy, where your beskar armor will protect you from many things, but not the sight of a small, green, carnivorous humanoid with big black eyes and mysterious powers. This is the way.
Star Trek is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. It has changed our cultural landscape in so many ways since it first aired in 1966. The franchise has generated billions of dollars in revenue, leading to a wide range of spin-off games, novels, toys, and comics. Star Trek is noted for its social science, too, with its progressive civil rights stances and its celebration of future diversity that began with The Original Series, one of television's first multiracial casts.
The Science of Star Trek explores one of the greatest science-fiction universes ever created and showcases the visionary tech that inspired and influenced the real-world science of today. The perfect Star Trek gift for fans of the franchise, this book addresses many unanswered, burning questions, including: What can Star Trek tell us about aliens in our Milky Way?; How has Star Trek influenced space culture?; What can Star Trek tell us about planet hunting?; What Star Trek machines came true?; And when will we boldly go?
Learn more about one of our favorite modern epics with The Science of Star Trek!
Discover the science behind the abilities of your favorite superheroes—the physics, chemistry, and biology of Superman, Iron Man, Captain Americam, Aquaman, Spiderman, Cyborg, and more!
The concept of the superhero has permeated our culture. They fascinate their fans with their incredible superhuman abilities and impressive technology. But do you ever wonder if any of it is plausible or rooted in fact?
Enter The Science of Superheroes, which address more than fifty topics that span the worlds of your favorite superheroes and villains. Explore and examine their amazing abilities and fantastic gadgets with a detailed scientific lens.
The scientific questions examined within this book include:
- Can an Iron Man suit be made?
- How does Thor's hammer work?
- Could any known forms of radiation cause superpowers?
- How many calories does Superman need each day?
- Could you cross a Lamborghini and a hummer to make the Batmobile Tumbler?
- And many more!
Whether you're a movie or comic buff, this book is certain to entertain and open your eyes to the truth behind these amazing characters.
From Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, James Bond is the highest-grossing movie franchise of all time. Out-grossing Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the world's most iconic and international secret agent has a shelf life of almost six decades, from Dr. No to Spectre. As nuclear missile threats are replaced by a series of subtler threats in a globalized and digital world, Bond is with us still.
In The Science of James Bond, we recognize the Bond franchise as a unique genre: spy-fi. A genre of film and fiction that fuses spy fiction with science fiction. We look at Bond's obsessions with super-villains, the future, and world domination or destruction. And we take a peek under the hood of trends in science and tech, often in the form of gadgets and spy devices in chapters such as:
● Goldfinger: Man Has Achieved Miracles in All Fields but Crime!
● You Only Live Twice: The Race to Conquer Space
● Live and Let Die: Full Throttle: Bond and the Car
● Skyfall: The Science of Cyberterrorism
● And more!
Media headlines declare this the age of automation. The TV talks about the coming revolution of the robot, tweets tell tales of jets that will ferry travelers to the edge of space, and social media reports that the first human to live for a thousand years has already been born. The science we do, the movies we watch, and the culture we consume is the stuff of fiction that became fact, the future imagined in our past-the future we now inhabit.
The Science of Science Fiction is the story of how science fiction shaped our world. No longer a subculture, science fiction has moved into the mainstream with the advent of the information age it helped realize. Explore how science fiction has driven science, with topics that include:
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Is Space Full of Extraterrestrials?
- Jacking In: Will the Future Be Like Ready Player One?
- Mad Max: Is Society Running down into Chaos?
- The Internet: Will Humans Tire of Mere Reality?
- Blade Runner 2049: When Will We Engineer Human Lookalikes?
How does magic in J. K. Rowling’s universe work? Finally, the scientific secrets of the Harry Potter universe are revealed!
The insanely popular Harry Potter books and movies have brought the idea of magic and sorcery into mainstream. Modern muggle scientists have uncovered explanations to the seemingly impossible, including answers to such questions as:
-Will we ever see an invisibility cloak?
-How hazardous is a flying broomstick like the Nimbus 2000?
-How has medicine made powerful potions from peculiar plants? (Felix Felicis, anyone?)
-Can scientists ever demonstrate Wingardium Leviosa, or the flying power of a Golden Snitch?
-Is it possible to stupefy someone?
-And many more!
Often perceived as a supernatural force, magic captivates and delights its audience because of its seeming ability to defy physics and logic. But did you ever wonder if science has any explanation for these fantastic feats?
The Science of Harry Potter examines the scientific principles behind some of the spells, scenes, and games that Harry, Hermione, Ron and Dumbledore love best. Author Mark Brake, whose The Science of Star Wars was a knockout success, has found the answers to satisfy the curious spirits of muggles everywhere. Here is a perfect Harry Potter listen for anyone obsessed enough to stand in line to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child or Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Witches and wizards and even muggles everywhere will be fascinated by the merging of this improbable realm and real science!
A tale of some of the most amazing creatures ever to grace this tiny planet—unearth how the science fiction of the Jurassic World franchise inspired the evolution of dinosaur science.
It all began in 1993. Jurassic Park was a movie landmark in the development of computer-generated imagery and animatronic visual effects. Jurassic Park became the highest-grossing movie of that year, and the highest-grossing film ever at the time, a record held until the 1997 release of Titanic. The field of dinosaur science has blossomed by leaps and bounds and branched out in recent years, in no small part to this iconic movie series.
In The Science of Jurassic World, we experience the amazing story of the birth of the dinosaurs, how they evolved to world dominance, how some became gargantuan in size, how others grew wings and flew, and how the rest of them met an untimely end. Chapters include:
- How did Jurassic Park transform dinosaur science?
- Was Dr. Alan Grant’s job a walk in the park?
- What’s with the giant dinosaur poop?
- When will we clone dinosaurs?
And so much more!
Discover how some of cinema’s most incredible creations do justice to the jaw-dropping evolution of these fantastic creatures.
With well over two hundred episodes and a dozen seasons, The Big Bang Theory is one of America's favorite television series, bringing a new class of character to mainstream television: the science nerd.
In spite of its evident popularity and influence in shaping public attitudes to science and scientists, there are relatively few books that explore the show's culture and social dimension. The Science of The Big Bang Theory looks behind the comedy scenes and scripts of this long-running and successful TV show to explore topics such as:
- The Bachelor Party Corrosion and Archimedes
- The Valentino Submergence: Fun with Flags
- The Dumpling Decoupling: Sheldon and Doctor Who
- The Mystery Date Observation: The Unlikely Dating Habits of Eggheads
This book is a light-hearted science companion to TV's The Big Bang Theory, providing you with just the kind of dissection of the science and culture you'd need to understand 'math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries, that all started with the big bang! Hey!'
