It’s not often that film stars appear in science magazines. But in the November special issue of Physics World on physics and the movies, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe talks to friend and physicist Jess Wade about what it’s like as an actor to work with visual effects (VFX), from 3D body mapping to green screens and tennis balls.
Elsewhere in the special issue, which is out now in print and digital format, find out how movie-makers rely on software and simulations from scientific research, explore what it’s like to be a Hollywood science consultant, and cringe at some of the classic science movie bloopers.
There’s also an exclusive interview with Douglas Trumbull – the legendary VFX pioneer who worked on 2001: A Space Odyssey – while Benedict Cumberbatch, who once starred as Stephen Hawking, explains the challenges of portraying scientists in film.
Plus there’s our usual mix of news, opinion, reviews and careers, and a movie-themed Lateral Thoughts illustration by Eugenia Viti and Ivan Viti.
Remember that if you’re a member of the Institute of Physics, you can read the whole of Physics World magazine every month via our digital apps for iOS, Android and Web browsers. Let us know what you think about the issue on Twitter, Facebook or by e-mailing us at pwld@ioppublishing.org.
Here’s a run-down of the full issue.
- Scientific fireworks – Next time you’re watching a firework display, remember these explosions played a key role in the early days of modern science, says Robert P Crease
- Elevator pitches – James McKenzie explains why a good elevator pitch is so vital, whether it’s introducing yourself, writing a CV or pitching a technology business plan
- From weightlessness to curly hair – There’s no escaping the laws of physics – even at the movies. Michael Brooks reveals why they’re vital to creating the best possible effects
- Tricks and wizardry – Visual effects play a crucial role in the modern movie industry. Daniel Radcliffe talks to Jess Wade about what it’s like as an actor to work with this kind of technology
- A mutual appreciation – Legendary director Douglas Trumbull talks to Graham Jones about what moviemakers and scientists can learn from each other
- Turning science to movie magic – What better way to accurately depict science in films than to ask the people studying it off screen? Emilie Lorditch talks to physicists who help filmmakers take science from the lab to the red carpet
- The imitation game – Actor Benedict Cumberbatch talks to Andrew Glester about what it’s like to play famous scientists
- A scientist in Hollywood – Mathematical physicists Spiros Michalakis talks to Sarah Tesh about his experience as a science adviser to Hollywood on films like Ant-Man and Captain Marvel
- The fictional science of science fiction – As the name suggests, science-fiction movies are just that – fiction. Unfortunately, that sometimes means the science is too. Rhett Allain examines some concepts that sci-fi movies regularly get wrong
- The real physics of fantasy – Kate Gardner reviews Fire, Ice and Physics: the Science of Game of Thrones by Rebecca C Thompson
- Crash and burn – Tushna Commissariat reviews the sci-fi movie Ad Astra starring Brad Pitt
- Once a physicist – Meet Eben Upton, co-founder of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, a charity that promotes the study of computer science in schools, and the chief executive officer of Raspberry Pi, which develops small single-board computers for educational, scientific and industrial applications
- Movie misdemeanours – An illustration by Eugenia Viti and Ivan Viti
Like the issue? Don’t like it? Did we miss something out? E-mail us at pwld@ioppublishing.org to share your thoughts.
