Science. It works.

Ok, so you know how Natalie Portman is hot and awesome and a philanthropist and whatnot? Well, she could have been one of the nation’s top scientists, having made it all the way to the semifinals of the Intel science competition. Other people who have done this include several Nobel laureates, MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant recipients and a whole bunch of Fields scholars. Her work had something to do with converting waste into more useful forms of energy. Great! Instead of aiding a dominant paradigm shift and saving the planet from fossil fuel consumption, now we get to see her in Friends with Benefits.