Orcs from ‘Lord of the Rings.’
Via Metro World News
How is it that movie heroes so often defeat stronger foes? Scientists at Imperial College London believe a poor lifestyle and lack of Vitamin D is hurting villain performance, citing a “lack of sunlight experienced by the evil characters” in films such as ‘The Hobbit’.
Dr. Nicholas Hopkinson, whose theory is in the Christmas edition of the Medical Journal of Australia, explains more.
Metro: How would this problem affect villains?
Hopkinson: According to our research, evil-doers who dwell in the darkness and eat a poor diet are severely lacking in vitamin D, leading to muscle weakness and critically undermining their performance in battle. It is striking how often villains are defeated despite having superior numbers and weaponry, so we think anything to improve performance should be considered.
What advice would you give them?
Exposure to sunlight is one thing, and more healthy food and less relying on meat and the bodies of their enemies. But the bigger picture is they must change their ways and behavioral intervention could support that.
What other medical problems are associated with a villain lifestyle?
There are health and safety issues with spending a lot of time in darkness – injuries are often caused by inadequate lighting. But as I said, the only real solution is to become less villainous.
What further studies would build on your findings?
We have only scratched the surface with this investigation. One area for further research is to explore the link between evil and living in the dark.
