Welcome to the Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Inside Science series.

I'm Paul Vogel saying and this is episode number 355. As part of our Smithsonian Associates Inside Science and Technology Series, we are joined today

by author, professor, and superhero educator, Dr. J. Bryan O'Rourke.

Dr. O'Rourke is a superhero educator,

professor of economics, a tough subject to teach

known as the dismal science, and like many of you you I took my fair share of economics classes and

had I been offered a class like this well let's just say it would not have been the

dismal science any longer.

You will love our conversation and presentation by Dr. J. Bryan O'Rourke,

who will change the entire subject of economics when he appears at the Smithsonian Associates June 6th,

2019, and his presentation is entitled,

What Superheroes Know about economics.

Dr. O'Rourke's presentation at the Spisonian Associates will draw from his excellent new book,

Why Superman Doesn't Take Over the World What Superheroes Can Tell Us About Economics. take over the world what superheroes can tell us about economics. Ever since

Superman flew onto the scene in 1938 superheroes have exhibited feats of

incredible strength, fighting prowess, and cunning.

So why don't they just take over the world?

Our hero, economist Brian O'Rourke, examines a powerful alliance between economics and comics.

Although the subjects may seem to be a world apart,

he explains why, despite their supernatural powers,

superheroes are still beholden to the laws of economics.

Dr. Ro Roark demonstrates how the travails of superheroes can explain the building blocks of economics and how economics explains the mysteries of superhero behavior.

...