Create enough superheroes over enough time and superpowers are going to overlap. Comic writers and movie producers can try to make them play nice within a universe, but some abilities will end up outright contradicting each other. Some even destroy the universe when they meet.
In my latest Because Science, I’m taking a look at what would happen if Thor threw his magical hammer directly at a charging Juggernaut. To do that, we have to first assume that the powers of Odin and the gem of Cyttorak won’t interfere (because in the comics, the gem of Cyttorak completely nerfs Thor and Juggernaut kicks his ass repeatedly). This is Because Science, not Because Mysticism, after all. What we’re left with is a classic thought experiment: What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
Though “unstoppable” and “immovable” sound like different properties, scientifically speaking, they are in fact the same. If you can’t stop a moving object, then its velocity cannot change, meaning no acceleration. If you can’t move an object, it implies that there is no force large enough to accelerate that mass—acceleration is still zero. So if two objects that cannot accelerate or decelerate meet… it would end the universe. How? Find out in today’s episode!
Check out my last video on how much Captain America can drink before getting drunk, subscribe to this playlist to stay current with the show, buy a Because Science shirt (you know why), and follow me on Twitter to give me a suggestion for the next episode!
