Krypton's core is made of uranium? (mathy types wanted)

[llozymandias]

Where in the comics have any kryptonians called their sun RAO?  According to E Nelson Bridwell Rao was originally the name of a sun-god.  In ancient times a moses-like figure made Rao krypton's name for GOD.  When Superman says Great Rao, that is basically the same thing as us saying good God or good lord.  


   Why super-matter (for want of a better name) would have such different properties under different stars?  No idea, but it should be treated as one of the biggest mysteries in the DC Multiverse.

[MatterEaterLad]

Mysterious...impossible is more like it...matter having "stronger" properties under a yellow sun and a bunch of the planet tying together mythos of the 70s and beyond stretched real science to a dumb point, and it killed the cool fantasy as well...oh, and is Superman's costume strong on Neptune, or proportionately weaker?  Dumb and dumber...

As far as the founding of Krypton, it seems better thought of as a Romulus and Remis myth, I hope so, anyways...

[Super Monkey]

I like the fact that all that old comic book science doesn't make any sense, it makes the stories even more fun for me, it makes me laugh, and laughing is a good thing.

[MatterEaterLad]

I like how it makes no sense meself...trying to make sense of it makes it impossibly stupid...LOL...

Anyone want to take a crack at the science behind the first sacking of Troy? :lol:

[RedSunOfKrypton]

someone once said WW 3 would be fought with nukes and WW 4 would be fought with sticks

I think it was Einstein who said it.

Trying to make sense of it makes it impossibly stupid? Does that make those of us who try to anyway for the sake of fun, impossibly stupid?

[Super Monkey]

someone once said WW 3 would be fought with nukes and WW 4 would be fought with sticks

I think it was Einstein who said it.

Trying to make sense of it makes it impossibly stupid? Does that make those of us who try to anyway for the sake of fun, impossibly stupid?

no, just bored  :wink:

[MatterEaterLad]

Trying to make sense of it makes it impossibly stupid? Does that make those of us who try to anyway for the sake of fun, impossibly stupid?

This is just me, no, not impossibly stupid, but trying to find continuity or real science is going to be an impossible chase...why not enjoy the fantasy and the fun?

For me, I have no problem with the interaction of Supes and the Green Lantern Corps, I have no real problem with the crisis (except what happened after), but overwrought explanations of the origins of the universe coupled with exact hominid duplicates all over the place in unlikely places and elements that are universal but somehow "stronger" in certain solar systems are NOT worth trying to explain. It doesn't make the fantasy any better, and the world of science laughs...

[Captain Kal]

More accurately, you laugh (and others of the same mindset), MatterEaterLad.  Real scientists have held courses on comicbook science and written books on the matter and even discussed it on the internet and journalism articles.  Given your abhorrence of this matter, I think I can safely say you are not amongst the scientific community.  Do please refrain from speaking for it, then.

Yes, let's forget all the brilliant stories from the S.F. greats like Fox and Hamilton that did indeed examine the scientific implications of comics super-heroes.  Let's toss out Flash's aura, vibrating through walls, super-speed time travel, vibrating to invisibility, and Superman's heat vision 'cause they 'just don't make sense'.  Those are examples of brilliant scientific extrapolations from what the powers are about and could possibly do.

I agree with JulianPerez that scientific extrapolation in comics for its own sake is somewhat sterile and useless.  It must be coupled with adding value to the stories (which the above examples abundantly do).

But to disregard scientific extrapolation altogether is sliding much too far into the other extreme.  As abundantly proven by these examples -- which I've posted ad nauseaum -- the great Silver Age writers and the legendary editor, Julius Schwartz, all subscribed to this kind of thinking.  This is, afterall, a site devoted to celebrating the Silver Age.  To denigrate this aspect of it is not in keeping with that spirit.

Look, I'm not trying to start a fight.  I like you MELad and a lot of what you have to say.  But can you and the others please get over this?  Julian posted a legitimate question.  If you don't like it, then just stay out of the thread.  No one forced you to get involved in a topic that you don't subscribe to.