Out of this World: The Science of Science Fiction

Catalog description

From Star Trek to Star Wars, from Frankenstein to every Marvel movie ever produced, sci-fi is an integral part of popular culture. The genre is not only inspired by science, but has a long history of inspiring new advances. This interdisciplinary course challenges students to carefully examine both popular and lesser-known works of relevant literature and film and explore the real-world science within. Our overarching aim is to help students develop critical media analysis skills and to foster lively discussions - including with author guests - on speculative fiction. We meet for one hour every week. Each session, a pair of students will co-present a piece of science fiction media and lead a discussion on the science involved - both the science itself and how it serves (or does not serve) the larger story. The course also includes several visits from science fiction authors, who will join via Zoom for a discussion of their work and a Q&A session.