There is an increasing need for innovative educational methods that can motivate and engage students in subjects that are often perceived as difficult or boring. One such approach is the UPCT-Bloopbusters educational project, developed by a group of professors at the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT), Spain, wherein concepts from the fields of physics and technology are presented and exemplified in the classroom through scenes from different movies in conjunction with experiments. The project was conducted on three subjects, one from each of the three bachelor of electrical engineering degree programs offered at the UPCT, namely Physics I, Applied Physics, and Optical Communications. This paper describes the methodology of the educational project and then presents and discusses the academic results of the students involved in terms of success and performance rates both before and after the application of the new methodology. Moreover, the results of a survey carried out on the students are presented. Finally, some of the exercises used in this methodology for the teaching and learning of science based on different movie scenes are provided as examples. The results of the project show that the students were receptive of the methodology and further indicated that it may lead to increased academic performance due to their enhanced understanding of physics and technology concepts.

Modification of unprotected nucleosides has been attracting continuous interest, since these building blocks themselves and their phosphate-upgraded corresponding nucleotides have shown a plethora of uses in fields like biochemistry or pharmacy. Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions, conducted in water or its mixtures with polar organic solvents, have frequently been the researchers' choice for the functionalization of the purine/pyrimidine base of the unprotected nucleosides. In this scenario, the availability of hydrophilic ligands and its water-soluble palladium complexes has markedly set the pace of the advances. The approach of our group to the synthesis of such complexes, Pd-imidates specifically, has faced critical stages, namely the jump to synthesize water soluble complexes from our experience working in conventional solvents, the preparation of phosphine free complexes and the overall goal of getting catalytic systems able to work close to room temperature. The continuous feedback with Kapdi's group, experienced in the chemistry of nucleosides, has produced over the last decade the interesting results in both fields presented here.

In order to change the preconceptions of youth towards science and technology subjects (which, usually, are perceived as difficult or boring), new educational methods aimed at motivating and engaging students in learning are becoming more and more necessary. In this sense, an educational project called ‘UPCT-Bloopbusters’ through which a group of professors of the Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT), Spain, use science fiction movie scenes ─as well as experiments─ within the lecture room to teach both physics and engineering technology is hereby presented. The methodology of the project is properly described and the results of a survey carried out among the students of a course in which such methodology has been used are shown. In view of this survey, it can be concluded that the project has been more than welcome by the students while at the same time has favored the learning of a great deal of physics and technology concepts.