Download high-resolution image
Listen to a clip from the audiobook
audio pause button
0:00
0:00

The Physics of Superheroes Goes Hollywood

An All-New Exploration of the Real Science of the Multiverse, the Quantum Realm,and Everything In Between

Listen to a clip from the audiobook
audio pause button
0:00
0:00
Hardcover
$31.00 US
6.22"W x 9.27"H x 1.01"D  
On sale Sep 16, 2025 | 288 Pages | 9780593719039
Grades 9-12

See Additional Formats
Discover the surprisingly real physics at work within some of the most popular superhero movies and tv shows

The multiverse and the quantum realm are fictional plot devices made popular by some of our favorite superheroes. But what if science-fiction may actually be science-fact?

The truth is that many of the fantastical elements we see on the screen are based in real science. And in The Physics of Superheroes: Hollywood Edition, acclaimed physics professor and superhero nerd James Kakalios explains it all. From Spider-Man's webbing and Black Panther's kinetic suit to Superman's time-traveling speed and Captain Cold's cold gun (not a freeze gun!), there is plenty to learn about the real-life scientific advances that inspired the famous feats of our favorite heroes. Fearless readers will embark on a journey to discover the Theory of General Relativity, quantum chemistry, multiverse theory (both parallel and bubble varieties), and more, while fully immersed in the most popular cinematic universes of our time.

Prepare to get educated in the nerdiest way possible.
© Adam Flaherty
James Kakalios is a professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota, where he has taught since 1988, and where his class "Everything I Needed to Know About Physics I Learned from Reading Comic Books" is a popular freshman seminar. He received his Ph.D. in 1985 from the University of Chicago, and has been reading comic books for much longer. View titles by James Kakalios

About

Discover the surprisingly real physics at work within some of the most popular superhero movies and tv shows

The multiverse and the quantum realm are fictional plot devices made popular by some of our favorite superheroes. But what if science-fiction may actually be science-fact?

The truth is that many of the fantastical elements we see on the screen are based in real science. And in The Physics of Superheroes: Hollywood Edition, acclaimed physics professor and superhero nerd James Kakalios explains it all. From Spider-Man's webbing and Black Panther's kinetic suit to Superman's time-traveling speed and Captain Cold's cold gun (not a freeze gun!), there is plenty to learn about the real-life scientific advances that inspired the famous feats of our favorite heroes. Fearless readers will embark on a journey to discover the Theory of General Relativity, quantum chemistry, multiverse theory (both parallel and bubble varieties), and more, while fully immersed in the most popular cinematic universes of our time.

Prepare to get educated in the nerdiest way possible.

Author

© Adam Flaherty
James Kakalios is a professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota, where he has taught since 1988, and where his class "Everything I Needed to Know About Physics I Learned from Reading Comic Books" is a popular freshman seminar. He received his Ph.D. in 1985 from the University of Chicago, and has been reading comic books for much longer. View titles by James Kakalios

Get Inspired! Books for After-School Clubs & Activities

Coordinating after-school clubs and activities in your school community? Explore our collection of books that will help students discover their passion for new (and screen-free!) hobbies. Focusing on topics such as art, board games, crafting, cooking, nature, sports, and more—these books are bound to spark imagination and movement. Browse the middle school and high school

Read more