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11/01/2022

3 science movies to watch on vacation

Holidays are the best time to catch up on those movies we missed throughout the year.

And why not take advantage of this time to combine leisure with learning?

We've selected 3 science movies for you to enjoy during your vacation. Check them out!

1. Contagion (2011)

Contagion portrays the spread of a lethal virus, transmissible through the air and which kills in just a few days. In this scenario, the scientific community is racing against time to produce vaccines and medicines to control the spread of the virus.

In addition to being able to draw a parallel with the novel Coronavirus pandemic, the film clearly shows how viruses jump from wild animals to domestic animals and then to humans, a process that characterizes the emergence of diseases with pandemic potential.

In the feature film, we can also follow the vaccine production process, the care involved in the work of scientists at different levels of biosafety, and the epidemiological aspects necessary for containment of the disease until vaccines or treatments are available.

2. The Martian (2015)

Considered one of the most scientifically accurate science fiction films, The Martian tells the story of a botanist on a space mission to the red planet. The scientist is presumed dead when a sandstorm separates him from the group and forces the other crew members to abort the mission.

Alone, the protagonist sees the need to use all his scientific knowledge to try to communicate with the team on Earth and survive until the end. the arrival of rescue.

Some of the film's most interesting scientific insights are the travel time to Mars, the planet's landscapes, and the techniques used to grow potatoes and produce water. In addition to these aspects, it is also It is possible to work in the classroom on the spirit of problem-solving, the creativity of the protagonist, the process of experimentation and error, and the importance of scientific knowledge and thought for survival.

The Imitation Game (2015)

The Imitation Game tells the story of Alan Turing, a mathematician who was called by the British government to work on a mission to create a machine that could break "Enigma," the code used by the Germans during World War II to pass messages to their submarines.

This machine mentioned in the film can be considered the great-great-grandmother of of the computer, since it already uses the binary language of zeros and ones to function. It is also possible to perceive the importance of teamwork, since Turing has relationship problems with the group and this interferes with the success of the project.

Other aspects addressed by the film that can be used in an interdisciplinary way are:

The events of World War II;
Gender and sexuality prejudices in relation to both the only woman in the working group, as in relation to the protagonist himself who was homosexual;
And the ethical dilemmas faced by the group.

It is estimated that Turing's invention shortened the war by at least two years.