The World Cup has drawn more than rabid soccer fans to Brazil. A team of filmmakers are on the ground in Rio de Janeiro documenting the science behind the games, including an exoskeletal kick-off, the genetics of competition, and even the biochemistry of diehard spectators.
Imagine Science Films' new series, "Field Work: World Cup," puts these and other cinematic explorations on display. Each of the six short films in the series will debut here on PopSci.com in the coming weeks.
To start things off, we present Amor. Here's how Imagine Science Films describes the flick:
Loyal soccer enthusiasts will defend their team to the end; even in the threat of potential injury. What is it that inspires this epic feeling of diehard love and loyalty? As the stadium pulsates with excitement, fan behavior is highly influenced by the environment. In a large group, the individual disappears only to be encompassed into something much larger. But is this amor?
Amor gets to the heart of these questions with local molecular biologist Dr. Franklin Rumjanek, from the Center of Health Sciences at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Watch the mini-documentary below.
This article was created in partnership with Imagine Science Films.
