The Big Bang Theory: There's Something Funny about Scientists
(Room JW Grand Ballroom 1)
07 Jul 18
3:00 PM
-
4:15 PM
Something astonishing keeps cropping up on TV's The Big Bang Theory — namely, actual science. The hugely popular sitcom, an extended riff on the "beauty and the geek" trope, is peppered with real-life scientific references. Characters chat about cutting-edge and classical experiments, historic formulae adorn background whiteboards, and famous science educators guest star as themselves. So when did CBS become PBS? Science humorist Dave Zobel argues that The Big Bang Theory plays a vital, if nontraditional, role in science education. Its ongoing celebration of scientific inquiry lays the groundwork for viewer conversations about science, technology, math — even philosophy. And that's a gift to every science geek ... or science denier.