Q&A: Getting Graphic with Rocket 57

 For over 15 years the husband and wife team of Marc Audet and Bérangère Bouffard having been making Ottawa pretty graphic. If you’ve looked at a telephone poll, bus or a magazine chances are you’ve seen their work. With both creating art from the moment they were able to hold

Astounding Soundwaves

 Above: An example of how sound waves expand from a central point. Photo credit. Sound is something most people experience almost every minute of every day, and so it is easy to take for granted. However, even something as simple as sound can be used to create powerful tools when

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction”: Lightsabers

 The lightsaber is the primary weapon of the Jedi Knights and their Sith counterparts, and one of the most iconic weapons in science-fiction. The lightsaber shares traits of sci-fi technology with the romantic idea of the saber duel, using advanced technology to create a weapon with a blade of pure

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Daredevil

 Matt Murdock, the man who would become the costumed superhero named Daredevil, started life as an ordinary man. One day, Matt saw a truck about to run over an old man who was crossing the road. He leapt into action and pulled the man out of the way, but as

Pow! Zap! Boom! Revenge of the Nerds: The Art of Story and of the Spaces in Between

  Those who do not have power over the story that dominates their lives, the power to retell it, rethink it, deconstruct it, joke about it, and change it as times change, truly are powerless, because they cannot think new thoughts. Salman Rushdie When I was a boy, I always saw

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Kang the Conqueror

  Kang the Conqueror is a character from the Marvel Comics universe who hails from the 30th century. He is a genius with machinery and military tactics, and has access to the most advanced military technology that his age offers. Of all the devices at Kang's disposal, perhaps the most impressive

Putting the "Science" in "Science Fiction": Bane

 Bane, often known as "the man who broke the bat," is one of Batman's deadliest foes. The villain earned his nickname by breaking Batman's spine and leaving him as a paraplegic for a period of time, becoming the only villain who has ever immobilized Batman. Besides being a master martial

Putting the "Science" in "Science Fiction" – Space Travel 4: Artificial Gravity

 Science fiction is so filled with starship crews walking and running around their vessels… it is easy to forget that in reality astronauts spend their time in space weightless. Although floating around inside a spacecraft may be enjoyable, long-term weightlessness has many negative effects on human health. Long periods of

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Space Travel 3: Other Potential Engines

 In the previous two blogs in this series, I examined ion engines and plasma engines – two technologies that have a great deal of potential for powering the spacecraft of the future. Although these two engine types attract a great deal of attention and research, a wide range of other

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Space Travel 2: Plasma Engine

 In my previous blog, I wrote about the ion engine, one of the main avenues of research into alternative methods of space flight. There has been a great deal of research into ion engines, but scientists are examining other technologies that would allow “warp drive” interplanetary and interstellar travel. One

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Space Travel 1: Ion Engine

 Science fiction is filled with high-tech spacecraft that soar through space and battle each other at high speeds. The advanced engines used in science-fiction allow these spaceships to maneuver like modern aircraft in space, changing direction quickly and even performing complex combat maneuvers. The reality of space travel is currently

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Mr. Freeze

 Mr. Freeze is a popular villain from the Batman series, known as much for his tragic back story as his ice-based weaponry. Like many comic book characters, many changes to his origins have evolved over time but the best-loved version is that he was originally a cryogenic researcher named Victor

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Judge Dredd

 Judge Dredd, the protagonist of the comic and films that share his name, is a law enforcement officer in a world filled with high-tech devices. Although technological wonders like fully autonomous robots, anti-gravity vehicles and portable laser weapons are common, likely the best-known device in the series is the Lawgiver Mk. II. The

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Energy Barriers

 In many works of science-fiction, people use walls of dangerous energy to protect important areas, contain prisoners and even protect starships from attack. These energy barriers are similar to force fields, but are different because they are made up of energy, that is harmful to whatever touches it and offers protection by disintegrating

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Violet Incredible

 Violet Incredible, one of the titular characters of Disney's film The Incredibles, shares a number of powers with the Invisible Woman. She uses her powers throughout the film and, though her ability to become invisible is useful, the power she uses the most is the ability to create force fields.

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Nanotech Part 2: Medical Nanotech

 In an earlier blog, I discussed the field of nanotechnology – the science of manipulating matter on the molecular and atomic scales. Nanotechnology, or nanotech for short, is a field of study that is growing rapidly, and promises to have many far-reaching applications for improving daily life. Although many industries

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Electro

 Maxwell Dillon is a criminal from the Marvel Universe who took the name Electro after he gained the ability to manipulate electricity. The villain can generate electricity within his body and use it to shock his victims by touch, launch bolts of lightning and control machinery. Electro has used his powers to fight

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Nanotechnology Part 1

 Miniaturization is a common goal when it comes to improving modern technology, and involves making more advanced models of devices smaller than their predecessors. The main reason to pursue this goal is that smaller devices are easier to transport and work with than larger ones, and as technology increases, the smaller size comes without

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Scarecrow

 Scarecrow is a villain from the DC Comics universe who often fights Batman and his allies. Scarecrow had a PHD in psychology and was an expert in the study of fear before he decided to use his talents to commit crimes. His primary weapon is a fear toxin he created

Putting the “Science” into “Science Fiction” – Virtual Reality

 Virtual reality is a common fact of life in many works of science-fiction, allowing people to enter into a computer-generated world and interact with it as if the virtual world was just as authentic as the real one. The simulated worlds these virtual reality (or VR) systems create are often

Putting the “Science” into “Science Fiction” – Fusion Power

 The modern world runs on electricity and the demand for power continues to grow every year. As demand grows the non-renewable resources we rely on, mainly fossil fuels, are used at an accelerated rate while the production of renewable energy has not increased as quickly as people hoped. Scientists are

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Thor

 Humanity has been fascinated with the awe-inspiring power of lightning since its earliest days, a fact that is clearly illustrated by the Norse peoples having a deity specifically dedicated to lightning and thunder. The modernized version of this character, Marvel's Thor, is an important and powerful member of the Avengers

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Hover Vehicles

 Hover vehicles have shown up in many works of science fiction and taken many forms, including the hover tanks of the Battlezone series, Halo's motorcycle like Ghost, and the well known Snowspeeders from Star Wars. Although they are portrayed as being used in different roles and being built with different

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Professor X

 Professor Charles Xavier, better known as Professor X, is the founder of the Marvel X-Men team and is one of the most powerful telepaths in the Marvel universe. Telepathy is the ability to perceive another person's thoughts, often by hearing or seeing them, and is a fairly common ability in

Putting the “Science” in “Science Fiction” – Railguns

 The railgun is a weapon commonly shown or described in science fiction, and works by using an electromagnetic force to launch a projectile down a pair of conductive rails, rather than relying on gunpowder. Although films, like the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Eraser, and novels often refer to all projectile weapons