Science in Science Fiction

Step 3 - Activities (Classroom/Group Activity)

The film “Tarantula” is a good starter or impulse for chemistry and biology involving food production (including fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, or genetic engineering). Based in the film a class or a group can focus on the following topics:

• Identification of the goal of the scientist in the film.
• Collection of data about the actual world food situation
• Collection of the latest chemical research and results referring to: nutrition and modern food. Is a formula compared to the one in the film already designed?
• Contacting Universities and their labs referring to the topic: basics of nutrition and the designing of food for the future.

In this context, students can form teams that dedicate their work only to the film, it's actors, reception history, directing techniques etc. The teacher should give a short introduction to each team topic to clarify all questions and be a regular “guest” to the different team meetings. One interesting lead question referring to “Tarantula” could, for example, be “Can good be enforced with the help of science?”