The Importance of Comics: Part V - Science Fiction and Science Fact
- Luke Evans
- Dec 23, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 15, 2021
As a science teacher, I am always amazed when some scientists say “Science fiction leads to nothing.” It’s simply false. Many scientific discoveries, many questions, many ideas start off as fiction, because until you make it happen or discover how it happens, it is not a part of our knowledge base or our “Truth”. It is fiction. And sometimes those fictional ideas lead to us taking the next step forward.
Pic: From Secret War: Book 1 of 5, By Brian Michael Bendis and Gabriele Del'Otto.
© Marvel Comics, 2011.
I changed my wording of that first section above the pic… I originally said “all science starts with fiction” but that’s not true. There are many things that actually happen (are truths) that would continue whether or not we know about them. They are true and function without caring whether we understand them or not! In this, I am referring to the Laws of the Universe that keep the whole ship chugging along. When I speak of science starting out as fictional ideas, I am talking about human knowledge of the Universe – about what is and is not, of what can or cannot be…
Pic: Budsartbooks.com from Darwin: An Exceptional Journey by Fabien Grolleau and Jeremie Royer, © Grolleau and Reyer, 2019 - where the character of Charles Darwin was traveling the world and trying to discover these "universal truths" - things that were true before we knew them to be.
In the above graphic novel and in the real-world version, Charles Darwin toured the world looking at what he could "see" and trying to learn what it could tell him about the past. His ideas were "fictions" to begin with, because he didn't know the answers and no one had proposed them before. Now, we know them to be true. His "science fiction" turned into real science.
Scientists ask, “What if I did THIS to THAT?” and then they experiment. And their idea – their fiction – comes into being. Or they take one step closer to the truth.
Famous astrophysicist, Laurence Krauss tells people that he likes using Science Fiction to teach classes because they get so much wrong in Sci-fi. I agree. I love that too. Looking at the silliness of what is depicted helps to teach what the world is really like and what would really happen. There are some great YouTube Channels, like Because Science from Nerdist, Science Friction, Spreading the Muse, and V-Sauce that look at these things. Have a look at them!! They are amazing!!
- Vid: The Physics of Science Fiction: Cloaking Fields and Fun with Light: SpreadingtheMuse Productions
I love all of this stuff - AND comics - because they all get you to think that crucial "What If?" Question:
What if… we could send a vessel into space?
What if people could be on one?
What if we could go to the moon?
What if a probe could leave our solar system?
What if we could go to Mars?
These were all just ideas, all “fictions” until we made them happen. On the above list, we only have the last one left to do, but at one time all of these ideas only existed as Science-Fiction ideas. Now they are real.
Comics and Science-Fiction can lead to people asking these questions. Some of them grow up and start asking the questions for real.
Sometimes, we see an idea in Science-Fiction and want to make it real. So, the scientist will look into questions like:
Can we do that?
Should we do that?
How do we do that?
What do we need to make this happen?
And we start to move forward.
Comics can be a part of all that.
Expanding the Use of Comics Into Other Scientific Discussions:
Comics and their spin-off products can also be examined and deconstructed from the point of view of looking at things like psychological studies and the study of philosophy, ethics, and morality, which tie into scientific endevours as well.
For example, some great clips from the brains at Emory University:
- Vid: X-Men: The Real Origins
I love this stuff! It gets the mind working and on asking questions like:
Can we?
Should we?
Will we?
Why?
How?
When?
These questions and the comic subject matter make for extremely interesting discussions in the classroom and beyond.
Join me for The Importance of Comics: Part VI: Morality, Social Justice and Real-World Social Issues
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Previous posts in this series:
NOTE: The pictures used here have been sourced from different internet sites, always linked to under the picture. In the case of comic panels, the original issue numbers and creators are listed, as well as the company that owns them. All rights remain with the original creators and have been used here for entertainment purposes and educational only.
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