Usually I scour my junk mail for good porn, but Mark, those links should keep me busy for a good 10-15 minutes… Anyway, I thought your comments about science-literacy and perception of scientists in movies were really interesting. Recently, there was this article in MIT’s Technology Review magazine about an alumnus who has been doing scientific consulting on big-budget Hollywood movies.

“When the film’s editor wanted to know how fast the Hulk had to be running in order to jump a mile, for example, he called in Underkoffler to apply some calculus.”

Interesting, huh? Yes, the Hulk is moving fast enough to jump a mile, but does that explain the genetic and physical changes that take place in Bruce Banner that allow him to make that jump? Clearly not, but Ph.D. scientists like Underkoffler are employing the proper language and “science” to make those changes sound plausible… In the end, the movie-watcher may have a difficult time knowing where the reality ends and the fantasy begins…

PS. Bonus porn: who likes hair?