Science at the movies
Since the first black and white films, scientists have been a fixture on the silver screen. But in recent years, scientists’ roles in the movies have expanded substantially both on and off the screen.
The early 1900s introduced the world to one of the most successful forms of entertainment: the moving picture. With its flickering photographs, plinking pianos, and flashing captions, movies wrapped viewers into a wide range of stories. But horror movies were where the new technology—with all its strengths and weaknesses—especially excelled. These scary stories often centered on scientists such as Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Frankenstein, and Dr. Caligari.
Today, scientists’ involvement in movie making has expanded well beyond the inspiration for villains. This week, BioTechniques News presents a special series of stories exploring these roles and some of the unique connections coming from the intersection between science and movies.
We start by looking at how scientists are portrayed on screen, from the original “mad scientists” with insatiable lust for power, to the irresponsible scientists who accidentally introduce the world to grave danger, to the stern, quirky scientists who miraculously produce conclusive data in a matter of minutes.
In the 1950s, science fiction movies saw a burst of popularity, followed by a resurgence in demand over the last few decades. Today’s sci-fi fan is more discerning, pushing filmmakers to collaborate with real researchers to improve the accuracy of the science presented on screen. This week, we will explore how scientists influence the movies we see each weekend. These stories will explore scientific findings, mutations, natural disasters, and events that inspire characters and story lines.
While scientists and their findings guide movies, you may be surprised to learn that movies also affect science. In another story this week, you will learn about how movies drive trends among consumers, and how some scientists following this phenomenon mapped the demands for exotic pets resulting from popular movies. These increasing demands interfere with conservation efforts.
Finally, science can even provide unique “spoilers” for your favorite shows. In today’s story, we learn how mathematical modeling can predict what will happen to characters in the ever popular TV series “Game of Thrones.”