If You Were Superman, Which Scientific Mysteries Would You Solve?

[mjacobsca]

When I was younger, I used to imagine myself fighting bad guys and saving the world. I still do, to some extent. But now when I think about being a superhero, I think about time sharing my unique skillset to the academic and space community. I think I would fly to Europa and break through the ice shell to find out what is in the ocean first. Next I'd give all astrophotographers a treat by taking closeups of Saturn. And I'd probably help ferry supplies to make an amazing telescope on the other side of the moon.

Which scientific endeavors would you do first if you were a superhero, after beating the bad guys, of course? Would you examine the Earth's inner core? Fly to Titan? Put satellites around the Sun? Or help probe quantum matter?

 

[turbo]

Could Superman prove or disprove the existence of the Higgs field, the Higgs boson, or the graviton? Any of those proof/disproof actions would be pretty monumental.

 

[arildno]

Superman ought to bend the laws of physics back into nice, Newtonian shape.

 

[turbo]

Superman ought to bend the laws of physics back into nice, Newtonian shape.

 

[zooxanthellae]

If I'm Superman, I think I'm of a lot more interest to the biologists than the astronomers! How do I breathe in space? From whence does my heat vision stem? How to explain the enormous power of my muscular tissue?

 

[Danger]

Given the billions of women in the world, I would probably not progress past checking out my X-ray vision.

(Oh, yeah... and the problem of trying to contain determined and immortal super-powered sperm... Merely thinking about a kryptonite condom causes me pain. )

 

[arildno]

Given the billions of women in the world, I would probably not progress past checking out my X-ray vision.

(Oh, yeah... and the problem of trying to contain determined and immortal super-powered sperm... Merely thinking about a kryptonite condom causes me pain. )

At such speeds, I would be more concerned about length contraction...

 

[Danger]

At such speeds, I would be more concerned about length contraction...

Just when I thought that you couldn't become more clever...

 

[Andre]

Oh I would take the time barrier and travel back 12,700 years to see what was going on then.

 

[daveb]

I would try to discern whatthe real laws of physics are since I'm obviously breaking most of them as we currently know them.

 

[Danger]

I would try to discern whatthe real laws of physics are since I'm obviously breaking most of them as we currently know them.

Not necessarily. A lot of those "powers" can be explained by highly concentrated flatulence. The super power is merely the ability to mask the odour.

And Arildno, now that you've had your 15 seconds of fame... you are aware, I assume, that the Fitzgerald contraction also dictates that both circumference and mass increase in the same proportion that length decreases...
This could go on for a very long time, but it's not suitable for posting on PF.

 

[arildno]

Not necessarily. A lot of those "powers" can be explained by highly concentrated flatulence. The super power is merely the ability to mask the odour.

And Arildno, now that you've had your 15 seconds of fame... you are aware, I assume, that the Fitzgerald contraction also dictates that both circumference and mass increase in the same proportion that length decreases...
This could go on for a very long time, but it's not suitable for posting on PF.

Your partner would have the extra time to adjust for that, dear..

 

[Danger]

Your partner would have the extra time to adjust for that, dear..

Ahhh... that had escaped my notice. Good catch.