Join the We the Geeks Google+ Hangout Today on Superhero Powers Being Real

For those science, tech and just plain geeky teachers who couldn’t spring a ticket to Comic Con going on this week in San Diego, here is perhaps the next best thing: a Google+ hangout at 12 p.m. today on how superhero powers like self-healing skin are real.

Join the Google+ Hangout for We the Geeks on “The Stuff Superheroes are Made of.” They will be discussing new developments in material science and how those new technologies are changing the world for the better. Some of the innovations are ripped from comic book storylines. Update: below is the recorded Google+ Hangout for your viewing pleasure.

Here are some of the topics they covered :

• Impenetrable liquid armor - possibly inspired by Batman’s body armor?
• Self healing, touch sensitive synthetic skin - maybe inspired by Wolverine’s ability to heal
• Invisibility cloaks - inspired by Harry Potter

These are the experts set to appear:

• James Kakalios, Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, and author of The Physics of Superheroes
• Nathan Landy, graduate student at Duke University; working on an invisibility cloak
• Zhenan Bao, Professor of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University; focusing research on self-healing and touch-sensitive synthetic skin
• Norman Wagner, Alvin B. and Julia O. Stiles Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware; research on liquid armor
• Nate Ball, co-founder of Atlas Devices and inventor of Batman-like Ascender; host of PBS's Design Squad Nation

You can follow the discussion through twitter too using the hashtag #wethegeeks.