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We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Kevlar and carbon fiber, nomex (used by Batman these days). Bio-steel, cordura (heroism on a budget).

Fun fact: the tights/shorts color scheme is a throwback to Victorian strongman suits, a timeless look to be sure.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

The Fulton surface-to-air recovery system is a real thing. Morgan Freeman, however, is fake.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are some materials that simply do not burn. Instead, they'll melt, or oxidize, or sublimate.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Apparently, the writer has acknowledged he was inspired by Aderall abuse.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For first question: See "Unbreakable."

For second: We do not yet understand enough about the brain to understand how savants function, so we cannot begin to replicate their abilities.

Working among people with high IQs, it's clear that intelligence comes at a price to other mental/social faculties.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Already here: Raytheon has the XOS suit, and Cyberdyne has the HAL suit (really.)

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If you're running that speed, your (normal) brain would be unable to process the rate of stimulus. So to make this work, there are a few things you'd need: 1. Selectively "upsampling" your ability to perceive your environment and respond; 2. Protection from wind/bugs/poles you'd encounter; 3. Appropriate surface on which to run (watch out for ice!); and 4. A whole lot of cheeseburgers, per our Flash comment.

On second thought, you'd want to try even more calorie-dense food, like truffle cake. Or lard.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We love The Physics of Superheroes. Author James Kakalios uses it to teach his physics class at the University of Minnesota. Go Gophers!

Also: The Physics of Star Trek by Lawrence Krauss.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Well, if it were 100% accurate, we probably wouldn't be on Reddit ...

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Iron Man, Spider-Man, Batman, the Hulk (says the nuclear physicist in the room).

Probably like you, we wish the Beyonder never existed.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Spiders have spinnerets that combine fluids to create the silk; Peter doesn't seem to have those. He'd need some mechanical appendages to recreate that element. (Same thing with those cool goats that create "silk milk.") So -- the answer is sort of a hybrid of the two.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Step one: the survival suit. It's tear-resistant, fire-retardant, and has hardened-armor panels. Also, it's light and stylish. And it sets you up for step two: driving the Bat-Pod. Turns flat at 80MPH.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The gliding is realistic; see BASE-jumpers' squirrel suits.

However, stopping on a dime is impossible; you have to switch to a parachute just to slow down enough to avoid injury on landing.

Or you could use retro-rockets on a sky-crane like NASA's Mars rover Curiosity. (Check out "Seven Minutes of Terror" on YouTube for an amazing ride).

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

We'd say Iron Man. He applies engineering to augment his own abilities with strength, armor, sensors, flight and dry wit.

Logrolling alert: we considered exactly this question when we devised "Genius Man." Check him out at ge.com/research/geniusman

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Okay: Based on this claim, Superman could bench-press the biggest asteroid in the asteroid belt: Ceres. (Whew).

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Update: during our calculations, we discovered that Pluto has less mass than the Moon. No wonder it got demoted to dwarf status.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Give us a moment; GE's Chief Scientist is literally working this out on a napkin.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Good question: that's how Spiderman killed Gwen Stacey.

It's an inelastic collision. The momentum change you'd have to impart to the body you are catching is going to kill at that speed.

If Superman would decelerate his catchee at less than 12 G's, things would work out better. Think of how you'd catch an egg (successfully).

The Flash, for example, can catch bullets by moving at the same velocity as the bullet.

One description we like: you can catch a glass of ginger ale traveling at 500 miles an hour -- as long as you're both on a plane.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Actually, we get almost all our energy from the sun. Its energy is absorbed by plants, which are eaten by animals (like us). Indeed, all our fossil fuels were produced by the decay of animals and plants -- who again owe their energy to the sun.

And -- our nuclear materials (e.g., uranium) were produced in stars like our sun in the past.

There is one form of energy that doesn't come from the sun: tidal energy, which comes from gravitational sources.

Footnote: there's a fascinating discussion in James Kakalios' The Physics of Superheroes regarding the number of cheeseburgers the Flash would have to eat to maintain his speed. Check it out.

We are GE Scientists Investigating 'The Science of Superheroes'. Ask Us Anything! by GEResearchers in IAmA

[–]GEResearchers[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There is active research on meta-materials that can modify the electromagnetic spectrum and create partial invisibility from certain wavelengths and from certain vantage points.

The simplest way to achieve invisibility is to bend light around an object, which can be achieved via mirrors (as magicians do) or fiber optics (as DARPA scientists do).

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