Students declare Superman's powers superior

    There’s plenty of competition. Thor, after all, is a god -- or an alien, depending on your point of view. Mystique is capable of turning herself into, well, just about anything. And Superman is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound and all that good stuff.
    But the students of University of Leicester charted the differences, took into account all of the superhero strengths and weaknesses and made the scientific conclusion that Superman is the best-equipped superhero. Three others -- Marvel’s Wolverine, Mystique and Thor -- are also powerful, can regenerate and have “high energy output,” according to the university.
    This is not the first time the university’s students have used their super-smart calculations to ponder characters of the comic book universe. In papers published from 2009 to 2016, “student research has determined whether or not the seemingly superhuman abilities used by the famous characters in films and comic books are in fact possible,” according to a university news release. The research, published in student-run journals, is meant to give students experience writing, editing, publishing and reviewing scientific papers.
    An explanation on the university’s website details how Superman’s cells are fueled by solar radiation. He possesses high density muscle tissue and the ability to send off a “super flare,” the release of solar energy from every cell in his body. (See the chart here.)
    The announcement is in time for Superman Day on June 12. The day was so designated by DC Entertainment in 2013 to mark the release of the movie, Man of Steel.
   In the movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,Batman (Ben Affleck) manages to walk away from the fight. Superman (Henry Cavill) isn't so lucky. But the students concluded that, actually, the most ill-equipped superhero is Batman, who despite all of his sophisticated gadgetry, possesses literally no superpowers.

    Related:

    Together at last: X-Men and the Smithsonian

    If you would like to comment give us a shout or like us on Facebook and tell us what you think.