Shattering Reality: Monsters from the Multiverse
<i>Kaijū</i> media frequently features dangerous scientific experiments as a central theme, invented by scientists who are falsely convinced that they both completely understand and control their advanced technology. In the past few decades, this has included the introduction of high-ene...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/13/6/148 |
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| author | Kristine Larsen |
| author_facet | Kristine Larsen |
| author_sort | Kristine Larsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Kaijū</i> media frequently features dangerous scientific experiments as a central theme, invented by scientists who are falsely convinced that they both completely understand and control their advanced technology. In the past few decades, this has included the introduction of high-energy physics (HEP) experiments—especially mammoth particle accelerators—that, among other destructive results, allow for the entrance of equally large and dangerous creatures into our world from parallel dimensions. Public concerns voiced about the safety of the creation of two groundbreaking energy accelerators—the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in New York and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Europe—in the early 21st century are tied to related science fiction media that capitalize on such fears (including <i>Godzilla vs. Megaguirus</i> [2000], <i>Pacific Rim</i> [2013], <i>The Cloverfield Paradox</i> [2018], <i>The Kaiju Preservation Society</i> [2022]). Particular attention is paid to the Netflix original series <i>Stranger Things</i> (2016–) as a detailed case study. This study concludes with an analysis of scientists’ attempts to embrace the popularity of <i>Stranger Things</i> in their communication with the general public, and suggests that ongoing issues with conspiracy theories have been fueled in part by such attempts, coupled with long-standing issues with the HEP community and their peculiar scientific naming conventions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a3a262f12cbd49ac989c7692d2c80222 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-0787 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities |
| spelling | doaj-art-a3a262f12cbd49ac989c7692d2c802222024-12-27T14:29:32ZengMDPI AGHumanities2076-07872024-10-0113614810.3390/h13060148Shattering Reality: Monsters from the MultiverseKristine Larsen0Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT 06053, USA<i>Kaijū</i> media frequently features dangerous scientific experiments as a central theme, invented by scientists who are falsely convinced that they both completely understand and control their advanced technology. In the past few decades, this has included the introduction of high-energy physics (HEP) experiments—especially mammoth particle accelerators—that, among other destructive results, allow for the entrance of equally large and dangerous creatures into our world from parallel dimensions. Public concerns voiced about the safety of the creation of two groundbreaking energy accelerators—the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) in New York and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Europe—in the early 21st century are tied to related science fiction media that capitalize on such fears (including <i>Godzilla vs. Megaguirus</i> [2000], <i>Pacific Rim</i> [2013], <i>The Cloverfield Paradox</i> [2018], <i>The Kaiju Preservation Society</i> [2022]). Particular attention is paid to the Netflix original series <i>Stranger Things</i> (2016–) as a detailed case study. This study concludes with an analysis of scientists’ attempts to embrace the popularity of <i>Stranger Things</i> in their communication with the general public, and suggests that ongoing issues with conspiracy theories have been fueled in part by such attempts, coupled with long-standing issues with the HEP community and their peculiar scientific naming conventions.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/13/6/148<i>kaijū</i>high-energy physicsparticle acceleratorsLarge Hadron Collider<i>Stranger Things</i><i>Pacific Rim</i> |
| spellingShingle | Kristine Larsen Shattering Reality: Monsters from the Multiverse Humanities <i>kaijū</i> high-energy physics particle accelerators Large Hadron Collider <i>Stranger Things</i> <i>Pacific Rim</i> |
| title | Shattering Reality: Monsters from the Multiverse |
| title_full | Shattering Reality: Monsters from the Multiverse |
| title_fullStr | Shattering Reality: Monsters from the Multiverse |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shattering Reality: Monsters from the Multiverse |
| title_short | Shattering Reality: Monsters from the Multiverse |
| title_sort | shattering reality monsters from the multiverse |
| topic | <i>kaijū</i> high-energy physics particle accelerators Large Hadron Collider <i>Stranger Things</i> <i>Pacific Rim</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/13/6/148 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kristinelarsen shatteringrealitymonstersfromthemultiverse |