Tuesday PSA: The Atom — Servant of Man
Another DC Comics Public Service Ad teaching about science — this time the topic is “The Atom” — more specifically radiolabeling (using radioactive isotopes to mark certain chemicals, which can then be traced), since that is what most of the vignettes depict.
As usual when dealing with these science PSAs, I have some questions and concerns:
Did the Brazilian doctor use radiolabeling to find the tumor (such as a bone scan or PET scan), or did he use radiation to treat it?
By 1959, there was already a Yellow Fever vaccine available, which would probably do more to eradicate the disease than making radioactive mosquitoes (wasn’t that a SciFi SyFy movie?)
The fourth panel is what really worries me. I think they’re using radioactive fertilizer in Canada to grow mutant tobacco plants.
This PSA was found in Batman #128 as well as the other DC comics from December 1959. This ad was written by Jack Schiff. There is some debate about the identity of the artist, but most sources list Lou Cameron.
More PSAs
January 26th, 2010 at 9:13 pm
@ Scott: All you need to do is stop smoking!
The one that scares me is the silkworm one. I seem to remember an old syfy,(oops! I mean sci fi), story about a man who is a professional moth killer. Only he gets captured by the giant moth and turned into food for the larva in the apple. It was quite a good story (I forget by whom). Of course the author never explained where the giant moths came from — Now we know!!! Of course, we needn’t explain how silkworms become apple moths!
January 26th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
I believe those are triffids in the fourth panel. Those wacky Canadians!
January 27th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Mutant plants, huh? I see where the Fallout game series got their genetics lessons from.
January 27th, 2010 at 8:12 am
Ah, I Love Nuclear Power…
January 28th, 2010 at 11:15 am
Atoms are our servants?! I can´t get mine to do anything, unless I smash their heads together, preferably at a ridiculously high speed.
January 28th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Mutant tobacco? Awesome.
What worries me more is the use of the word “magic” in the fifth panel. Hello? Science is not magic.
Also note how the doctor speaks “gently” to the woman.
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