Crossroads: where Science and Literature Meet

The crossing between the paths of science and literature is the focus of the new issue of Mètode. The union of these two disciplines has resulted in some of the most interesting works in history, from science fiction novels exploring technological possibilities to the so-called «lab lit», which recounts the intrigues associated with the scientific profession lived in research centres. In the words of Pasqual Bernat, science historian and coordinator of the monograph, «the marriage of science and literature as artistic expression and as conceptual and intellectual blend makes of both disciplines a new expression with a more complex and richer approach to reality».

The monograph explores these crossroads from different perspectives, with texts by Miquel Barceló, Jordi Solbes and Manel Traver, Fernando Ballesteros and Eusebio Llácer, Romén Reyes-Peschl, Carme Torras, Francisco Sáez and Roslynn Haynes. In this way, its pages bring us closer to pioneering figures such as Poe, Shelley, Verne, Wells or Asimov while collecting different cases of literature created by scientists themselves. The representation of robots in literature, he ability of science fiction to help us «learn about the future» or other formats like comics are also explored in the issue. The articles are accompanied by the works of Miguel Calatayud, whose illustrations show, from his characteristic point of view, the crossroads between science and literature.

The profile of the sexist abuser

The new issue of Mètode includes, in addition to sections by the regular contributors, the result of the study by a research group of the University of Valencia, which addresses the behaviour of sexist abusers from a biological point of view. This issue of the journal is completed with an article by Íñigo Olalde and Carles Lalueza-Fox on Mesolithic Europeans and another one by Sergio Parra on the figure of Matthew Fontaine Maury, a pioneer in the search for nautical patterns. In addition, Lucía Sapiña and Manuel Gil interview the Nobel Prize in Medicine Randy Schekman, and Pilar Campins, Vice-Principal for Research and Science Policy of the University of Valencia, explains her opinion on the situation of science in higher education.

© Mètode 2014.