Superheroes, Science, and the Environment
This ExhibitLab display highlights the unexpected connections between the pages of comic books and real-life environmental issues.
On view November 29, 2023–April 27, 2024
Horiba Exhibit Hall
POW! BAM!
Superheroes are seemingly everywhere in American culture. But did you know that many of these fictional characters reflect real-world concerns about the environment? This ExhibitLab highlights the unexpected connections between the pages of comic books and real-life environmental issues from the 1970s through the present. Items such as scientific test kits, DDT bottles, and 3D-printed water filters by local students connect the world of superheroes to our own realities.
Superheroes, Science, and the Environment was curated by Haas Curatorial Fellow Sherri Sheu with assistance from the library’s Ashley Augustyniak and the museum’s Erin Gavin and Molly Sampson.
About ExhibitLab
ExhibitLab is the Science History Institute’s space in the Horiba Exhibit Hall for small, focused displays that showcase specific collections, prototype new ideas, or respond to current events. Our staff members, fellows, and school and community partners curate these displays.
For more information about ExhibitLab, please contact Molly Sampson at msampson@sciencehistory.org.
Horiba Exhibit Hall is named for Japanese businessman and 2006 Pittcon Heritage Award winner Masao Horiba (1924–2015), founder of Horiba Radio Laboratory, now Horiba Ltd., a manufacturer of advanced analytical and measurement technology.