Archive for Earth Sciences Forum This site is dedicated to the Earth Sciences. We are here for you to discuss issues regarding any aspect of the Earth sciences, at all levels of knowledge. Questions are welcomed, as are open scientific debates. Enjoy!!!
|
scpg02
|
Hollywood movies hurt students' understanding of scienceOne of the worst movies for science I thought was Honey I Shrunk the Kids. He says he shrinks the object by removing the empty space between atoms. Ok, but just how did removing that empty space make everything weigh less? Weight is not about size but mass and the mass was not changed. I don't care how small he made those kids they still could not climb a flower or ride a bee. Besides that I liked the movie.
Contact: Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala
zkotala@mail.ucf.edu
407-823-6120
University of Central Florida
UCF physicist says Hollywood movies hurt students' understanding of science
| Quote: | Movies such as Spiderman 2 and Speed generate excitement among audiences with their cool special effects. But they also defy the laws of physics, contributing to students’ ignorance about science.
Two University of Central Florida professors show just how poorly Hollywood writers and directors understand science in an article published in the German journal “Praxis der Naturwissenschaften Physik.” Common sense may indicate that people should know the stunts in movies are just make believe, but the professors say that’s not necessarily true.
Some people really do believe a bus traveling 70 mph can clear a 50-foot gap in a freeway, as depicted in the movie Speed. And, if that were realistic, a ramp would be needed to adjust the direction of motion to even try to make the leap, said UCF professor Costas J. Efthimiou, who co-authored the article.
“Students come here, and they don’t have any basic understanding of science,” he said. “Sure, people say everyone knows the movies are not real, but my experience is many of the students believe what they see on the screen.” |
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/uocf-ups081507.php
|
|
|
|