And Now For Something Completely Silly

For his inaugural post at the new Of Two Minds blog, Steve Higgins chose one the most important scientific issues of our times: Could Superman's x-ray vision really exist?

There are three basic conditions that a superman x-ray system must meet to be plausible.

1. Transparency:

The rays must be such that all objects but lead are entirely or almost entirely transparent to them. Lead is always entirely opaque to the rays.

2. Color:

The rays and processor must result in Superman perceiving the same colors as would an Earthling viewing the scene in ordinary sunlight.

3. Exclusivity:

The rays must permit Superman, but not Earthling standing in line with the reflected rays, to see through normally opaque surfaces.

Steve wrote his article tongue-in-cheek, of course, but he bases it on a very real article that appeared in 1985 (!) in the journal Perception: "On the plausibility of superman's x-ray vision" by J.B. Pittenger.

And they wonder why everybody thinks scientists are a bunch of nerds...