UF’s Naykky Singh Ospina and collaborators in Ireland and Arkansas analyzed 25 superhero movies and concluded that just 16% of superheroes wore capes. In contrast, the trait of altruism was found in 97% of the superheroes. “The study clearly demonstrates that having an altruistic mission is the key defining feature to making someone a superhero, be they Superman, a medical professional, a first-responder or a teacher,” the study notes.
The purpose was to teach medical trainees and others how studies are built. “As physician-scientists, we often need to explain complex research methods to people who may not be familiar with a study’s language,” says Singh Ospina. “Here, we try to get them engaged in a way that’s accessible and enjoyable.” Although the team did the work after hours, they followed rigorous research protocols to test the question: “Not all superheroes wear capes,” a saying popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic, often used to describe medical workers. Is it true?”
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