By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

When University of Hawai'i scientists were part of the research team to pin down the latest findings that neutrinos have mass, can mutate, and in fact may be key to revisions in the big bang theory, it was national news. Hawai'i newspapers wrote about it, and so did the New York Times.

It reiterates that Hawai'i can hold its own in the earth-shaking discoveries category.

But Hawai'i is more than big news about the big bang theory.

Island experts are showing up in some of the most unlikely, and unique places.

For instance, UH Professor of Geology John Goss will be quoted on Nightline in the few days before Christmas as a source about shopping trends in mega-malls like Minnesota's Mall of America.

While Hawai'i hasn't muscled up an indoor theme park at Ala Moana or a Camp Snoopy at Aloha Tower Marketplace, it has provided an expert who can talk about shopping tourism and the onslaught of package tours from Japan to Minnesota just to shop in the world's largest mall.

"It's freezing cold in the wintertime and hot and unpleasant in the summer. How are you going to make people come to Bloomington?" says Goss.

How? Create a fantasy experience where people can go instead of the real thing, like Hawai'i.

And so you create a fantasy experience with shopping.

Fantasy and magic are already deeply ingrained as themes in shopping malls.

"They want you to enter into a fairy-tale world," says Goss. "They want you to believe that if you buy that ball gown, you will become Cinderella; you will be transformed. If you buy that fast red sports car, you'll be turned into that kind of stud.

Or something as simple as a hand cream that says you'll be turned into a beautiful sexy woman. Almost all advertising tells you this has something special for you and it will make you into something you are not."

We are all awash in these kinds of feelings at the moment, and Goss thinks they're still particularly high because of 9/11 as we continue trying to escape the fears of terrorism. Mall magic is one of the ways.

But Goss isn't the only one making unusual news.

The International Environmental Law Moot Court team from the UH William S. Richardson School of Law has done it again.

At recent competitions they took first place in the country and second place internationally.

"We're the best in the U.S., and the second best in the world," said Law School dean Lawrence Foster. "Actually, we were terribly disappointed they were second."

While the credit goes to the students and their professors, it can also be shared with the local legal community, which has given hundreds of volunteer hours creating mock situations to test the students' mettle.

"Hundreds of attorneys come up and run them through practice round after practice round," said Foster.

While congratulations are due the team, honors should also be spread throughout town.

What a nice Christmas present. And that's no fantasy.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.