20100312

Science in the Media

I just got back from a PCAST briefing on K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education. As we all know STEM is totally broken, and aside from the usual platitudes, we don't have great ideas about how to fix it. There was one interesting thing: Kids these days spend 12 hours a day accessing media (guilty as charged). Only 10% of characters in media are scientists or engineers, and 70% of them are portrayed as the bad guy. We need some new positive role-models.

TV:
The Real Adventurers of Richard Feynman: Nobel prizing winning physicist and international playboy travels the world from Los Alamos to Rio de Janeiro, solving mysteries, seducing beautiful women, and stopping the evil machinations of VIPER, a sinister organization bent on destroying the world with nuclear weapons. Featuring cameos from historical figures, and the Feynman Action Science Team of Bobby Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, and Time-Traveling Teddy Roosevelt.

The Lab: You've seen The Office, right? Like that, but with science. NBC already has two shows that are basically The Office, so one more can't hurt.

Games:
Chrome Streets: A cyberpunk action/RPG in the style of Mass Effect. The player is an underground scientist, battling megacorporations for the fate of mankind. Heavy transhumanist themes, as the game revolves around your continual human advancement. Skills are divided between Robotics/Biotech/Nanotech tracks, each one offering a different combination of powers. The game is supported by a robust crafting/research system that mimics real science. Written by Charles Stross, and with a better title.

EDIT: Apparently there's a Deus Ex 3 coming out. Dues Ex was one of the best games of all time, and pretty much exactly the above. Do it right, Eidos, or I will go to French-Canadia and go all JC Denton on you.


4 comments:

  1. ooh ! awesome. Also, our old friends are at work writing science TV scripts as we speak ( which conspicuously have nothing to do with science, oddly )

    See
    http://science-island.com/

    Maybe we can start aggregating media campaign ideas here. I'll e-mail you with the link to get login.

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  2. 70% of people scientists and engineers sounds really high. What about everyone on Star Trek?

    Also, a Laundry-universe TV show could be totally awesome.

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  3. Anonymous12.3.10

    Only Spock and Scotty count (I've heard they made some sequel series or something, but those suck.) So, about 50% of main characters, 30% of bridge crew, and that's fucking Star Trek.

    And yes, anything Laundry-verse would rock. I've heard they're making an PnP RPG.

    --Biff-"too lazy to log in"-motron

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  4. I agree with this post. Totally.

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