The Science in Science Fiction!

[Sandwurm88]

Okay, so I know that Dune isn't exactly hard SF like Ringworld, Rendezvous with Rama, Red Mars, or Eon.

I have a project for school in which we must find a science fiction movie or TV show, and find three interesting scientific accuracies in that movie/show, as well as three things scientifically (as far as we know) impossible, due to known laws of physics, et cetera. For each of the six accuracies/inaccuracies, we have to write a short half a page to page long essay as to why it is good science or bad science.

I'm doing the 1984 Lynch Dune movie. I have faster-than-light travel already down as something implausible to science as we know it already, 'cuz it seems like an easy, standard one.

Anyone got any interesting suggestions for scientific inaccuracies and accuracies in Lynch's Dune?

[lotek]

thopters?
suspensors?
shields?
heart plugs?
thopters?
stillsuits?

[lotek]

oh and I forgot milking cats

[Sandwurm88]

Sweet, thanks, keep the suggestions coming.

[Sandwurm88]

Would life on a planet where there has never been rain constitute an impossibility? I know that Fremen get water using wind traps, but wouldn't that mean that the atmosphere has at least some moisture in it, which would mean at least occasional rain? And although I'm not gonna get into the ecology of the sandworm and the sandtrout, wouldn't the desert mice, eagles, and plants need a bit more than moisture in the wind to survive?

[lotek]

there has been water on Arrakis(polar caps)
and some hint the worms/sandtrouts were brought in at some point and changed the ecosystem of the planet; like the BG did later.

all life on Dune has adapted to use that little water/moisture available,

- it is actually impossible for life as we know it to exist without water
- there is life

-> it means there is enough water to sustain it

[SandChigger]

(Are you going to cite this board and the people who help you in your assignment? )

[lotek]

(Are you going to cite this board and the people who help you in your assignment? )

yeah I just realized I was being used

[SandChigger]

Well, you know, he's the one who has to do the actual writing, but I always prefer it when students present a complete answer (in this case, a full list of six items) and ask whether they're on the right track or not. Coming up with the ideas is an important part of the process.

[The_Kat]

Was just about to call you on folding space being impossible than notice you said implausable.

Folding space is one of the only methods to exceed c that has pretty firm science behind it. A sufficiently large mass would create the gravity to fold space, but would be unusable for obvious reasons. If CERN finds the higgs boson, they may open the way for its use to create the effect safely and usably.

Now a shield that allows a slow object but not a fast object, i'd say thats implausable.

I'd say chromo-plastic is more than plausable i'd be pretty sure we could make that now.

[SandRider]

you're doing 84Lynch_Dune, right ?

you could toss in weirding modules and mention they did not appear in Frank's Dune....


the hairless chest of Gordon Sumner in the film is perhaps an oddity rather than a scientific implausibility ....

when is this due ? (don't say "this Monday")
and post the list as you develop it ....

I don't see anything wrong with this being a little group project and us helping you out a little -
(altho there are alot of discussions of this topic thru-out the sietch, if you'd look around)

I'd not go into anything beyond what your teacher knows you're capable of, tho -
f'instance, Kat's talk of advanced quantum theory might throw up a red flag ...

altho I guess most of you little shitheads get all your schoolwork off the innerwebz, anyway ...

When I was a boy, we had to use chalk and a piece of slate - which was an upgrade from scratching on rocks with a nail .....

[SandChigger]

When I was a boy, we had to use chalk and a piece of slate - which was an upgrade from scratching on rocks with a nail .....

You forgot to put quote marks around this bit, right? 'Cause you're obviously quoting your grandfather or someone.

[TheDukester]

the hairless chest of Gordon Sumner in the film is perhaps an oddity rather than a scientific implausibility ...

As was the distinct tan-line from where he wore his wristwatch.

[inhuien]

didn't they have wrist watches in teh Duniverse?

[lotek]

the hairless chest of Gordon Sumner in the film is perhaps an oddity rather than a scientific implausibility ...

As was the distinct tan-line from where he wore his wristwatch.

lol I just found out who gordon sumner IS

[nampigai]

the hairless chest of Gordon Sumner in the film is perhaps an oddity rather than a scientific implausibility ...

As was the distinct tan-line from where he wore his wristwatch.

lol I just found out who gordon sumner IS

a guy that once wore a black and yellow shirt.

[The_Kat]

Chromoplastic Dew Collectors clicky

[SandRider]

there you go - put that in the paper ....

I've built similar little collars for tomato plants, and "templates" to stop weeds -
I've done quite a bit of "sustainable" gardening here, which is considered an "arid"
area, not quite in the "desert" zone, but we're on well-water and always concerned
about aquifer levels and so forth, so I've built a lot of water-saving devices and systems -
all the buildings and barns have rain gutters and barrel systems; it doesn't rain often, but
when it does, I collect all I can - the dew collection off the hangar roof alone fills up a
55 gallon drum about every two weeks; and I plant garden vegetables and morning glory
vines around the buildings - there is no one central "garden", it's spread out all over
the place ....

years ago I built a "garden stream" from the gray water drain off the main house -
chiseled out a deep channel in the limestone from the drain mouth out to the
mesquite trees - twists and turns around the high spots and cracks in the rock,
looks very natural now- out in the trees, I made several "catch-pockets" and have
experimented with growing different things - no garden vegetables have every done
very well, but some vines have grown lusher than normal - the area looks just
beautiful, the rye grass grows well around the banks -

BTW, it was a wetter-than-normal winter here, and the Wildflowers are kicking ass early ....

[Sandwurm88]

I did the paper already, and used this: http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Content-C ... sp?Bnum=47" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chanilover]

the hairless chest of Gordon Sumner in the film is perhaps an oddity rather than a scientific implausibility ...

As was the distinct tan-line from where he wore his wristwatch.

lol I just found out who gordon sumner IS

On the set of Quadraphenia the rest of the cast ripped the shit out of him when they found out his real name LOL. He looked like he was made out of plastic in Dune, no idea if that type of mutation is plausible.

How about Futars, Sloe Man? How plausible are they?

[SandChigger]

How about Futars, Sloe Man? How plausible are they?

More plausible than Avatars, I'll warrant.