Luther professors say science fiction gives us a new perspective on being human

"Gort" from 1951's "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (Courtesy wikipedia)

Why is science fiction so popular?  Two Luther College professors have a theory.

Luther biology professor Eric Baack and English professor Andy Hageman lectured Tuesday night on "Science and Fiction in Human-Alien Encounters," with Baack discussing 1998's "Dark City" and Hageman discussing "The Day the Earth Stood Still"--both the 1951 original movie and the 2008 remake.

Hageman says both "Earth" versions allowed us to look at our anxieties--atomic boms in the 1951 version and environmental destruction in the 2008 remake.  In both versions, scientists played the role of outside observers--go-betweens in the interactions between humans and aliens.

Baack says this perspective of an "other" is what distinguishes a scientist.  For instance, "Biologists have a fascination with what normally causes disgust."

Baack and Hageman's lecture Tuesday discussed popular attitudes about scientific developments and the questions it raises about what it means to be human.