Good Science and Bad Science And Lack Thereof In Science Fiction Films and TV Series

[Vertigo]

One of the classic authors wrote a story where a spaceship is wrecked, and the crew have to jump to a nearby rescue vessel- but unfortunately all their suits were in the part that was destroyed. The person giving the instructions assures them that in that short time their blood won't boil or lungs explode- the only bad result is they end up with massive sunburns. Don't know how accurate it was.

The reality as I understand it is that it's 15-20 seconds to unconsciousness and around 90 seconds to death or permanent damage. But that's assuming you don't try to hold your breath; if you do so I believe your lungs are likely to rupture.

 

[galanx]

Speaking of time travel, the inferior modern remake of The Time Machine when they show the half-dimantled Moon sort of dismembered in the sky, but nothing is moving.

 

[SilentRoamer]

One of the classic authors wrote a story where a spaceship is wrecked, and the crew have to jump to a nearby rescue vessel- but unfortunately all their suits were in the part that was destroyed. The person giving the instructions assures them that in that short time their blood won't boil or lungs explode- the only bad result is they end up with massive sunburns. Don't know how accurate it was.

Holding your breath (like you would in water by taking a deep breath) would be a very bad thing to do. You would be better exhaling all possible oxygen - similar to deep sea divers because otherwise the pressure (pressure of the body) would likely burst your lungs and possible eye sockets.

In space water boils, not due to heat but due to low pressure <0.9psi. So all of the bodies water (except that sufficiently pressurised) would begin to boil (ebullism). The rapid decompression comes with its own set of problems which we can see in a lesser form in Divers that ascend too quickly (Nitrogen bubbles on the brain etc.)

The general consensus is that the human body is capable of withstanding vacuum exposure assuming the exposure is short lived and given ideal circumstances - things such as weight and heart rate would have an impact. Tests have been performed on animals that have seen their complete recovery from a 90 second exposure. There have also been accidents involving astronauts and leaky suits and some testimony from their experiences.

So assuming a straight forwards jump out into vacuum then this is entirely possible albeit improbable.

Hope this helps.

 

[SilentRoamer]

Vertigo said it more succinctly!

 

[BAYLOR]

One of the classic authors wrote a story where a spaceship is wrecked, and the crew have to jump to a nearby rescue vessel- but unfortunately all their suits were in the part that was destroyed. The person giving the instructions assures them that in that short time their blood won't boil or lungs explode- the only bad result is they end up with massive sunburns. Don't know how accurate it was.

I think I read that story. It was in Arthur C Clark anthology The Other Side Of The Sky .

 

[galanx]

Arghhh! I looked for it in Heinlein and Asimov's bibliographies, but gave up before I got to Sir Arthur. "Take a Deep Breath". Some time afterwards, he wrote that it had received a lot of criticism, but claimed later experiments had vindicated him.

 

[galanx]

Holding your breath (like you would in water by taking a deep breath) would be a very bad thing to do. You would be better exhaling all possible oxygen - similar to deep sea divers because otherwise the pressure (pressure of the body) would likely burst your lungs and possible eye sockets.

In space water boils, not due to heat but due to low pressure <0.9psi. So all of the bodies water (except that sufficiently pressurised) would begin to boil (ebullism). The rapid decompression comes with its own set of problems which we can see in a lesser form in Divers that ascend too quickly (Nitrogen bubbles on the brain etc.)

The general consensus is that the human body is capable of withstanding vacuum exposure assuming the exposure is short lived and given ideal circumstances - things such as weight and heart rate would have an impact. Tests have been performed on animals that have seen their complete recovery from a 90 second exposure. There have also been accidents involving astronauts and leaky suits and some testimony from their experiences.

So assuming a straight forwards jump out into vacuum then this is entirely possible albeit improbable.

Hope this helps.

Yep- thanks. The story -"Take a Deep Breath"; Arthur C. Clarke (tip of the hat to Baylor)- came out in 1957, when Clarke was already an avid scuba diver- wonder if that gave him some basis for the concept.

 

[Ed Ryder]

There's a bit in Mission to Mars where one of the characters declares "it's human chromosome 21!" (or one of them anyway) after seeing about 20 base pairs of DNA on a computer screen, which made me laugh when I saw it much to my friend's annoyance.
Personally I prefer films to be as vague as possible when it comes to science, rather than mention something specific and incorrect as my suspension of disbelief works better then (I'm odd that way). I love Jurassic Park, but it's a bit of classic for doing that.

When it comes to physics however I'm completely ignorant and have no idea, so anything goes there!

 

[BAYLOR]

Arghhh! I looked for it in Heinlein and Asimov's bibliographies, but gave up before I got to Sir Arthur. "Take a Deep Breath". Some time afterwards, he wrote that it had received a lot of criticism, but claimed later experiments had vindicated him.

It's one my favorite Arthur C. Clark short stories.

 

[Khuratokh]

Pointing out flaws in The Star Wars universe always seemed to be a pointless exercise. It's more a fantasy setting and has no claims to be accurate in the first place. Lightsabers are one of the more plausible ideas. --

Coruscant is one big city, no mention how a trillion people get their food.

Naboo has no molten core. It's a giant sponge.

The Force awakens has a superweapon that drains the sun's energy. Two shots and the sun is gone... now what?

Also the weapon's shield can't stop objects that move at hyperspace. Kinetic kill anyone? Nope just me.

High powered "lasers" but only manual targeting.
Etc.

Godzilla doesn't need to eat flesh. Toho studios thought this one through: Supposedly he has an internal organic nuclear powerplant. This is actually a plot point in the recent one.

"The Ringworld is unstable!" Was a much heard critique launched at Niven in the 70's. So he attempted to fix that in the Ringworld Engineers. Also it helps that the creators are still there.

Avatar irks me (mostly fron a narrative standpoint. Different topic) this is a planet where every animal, be they mammal or reptillian analogue, has 6 limbs, 2 or 3 sets of eyes, and a usb-stick appendige. Yet the Navi only have 4 limbs and 1 set of eyes and a usb-port. How does something like that evolve?

Unobtainium is an oft used term in SF. The Core had the vessel that could drill through the earth's core. It was also made of unobtainium. Complete with eye-roll from the scientist tthat created it.

As I studied Archaeology, mistakes or lies in movies really sting. Aliens v predator had the Aztecs build a temple 4000 years ago. Before 1100ad the aztecs didn't exist.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

Aliens v predator had the Aztecs build a temple 4000 years ago. Before 1100ad the aztecs didn't exist.

Obviously time travelling Aztecs

 

[Mirannan]

Obviously time travelling Aztecs

Well, it could have been proto-Aztecs could it not? I don't know much, if indeed anything, about Central American prehistory - but AFAIK there have been no major migrations in that area for a VERY long time.

 

[Khuratokh]

Well, it could have been proto-Aztecs could it not? I don't know much, if indeed anything, about Central American prehistory - but AFAIK there have been no major migrations in that area for a VERY long time.

Could have mentioned the Olmec, who were around at that time. Sort of. Proto Aztec? That makes as much sense as saying Turks built the pyramids. Or the Magna Carta being written up by Jimmy Carter.

 

[BAYLOR]

Obviously time travelling Aztecs

Sounds like Chariots of the Gods.

 

[Mirannan]

Could have mentioned the Olmec, who were around at that time. Sort of. Proto Aztec? That makes as much sense as saying Turks built the pyramids. Or the Magna Carta being written up by Jimmy Carter.

I told you I knew virtually nothing about the subject. I've heard of the Olmec, but that's about it.

 

[Khuratokh]

I told you I knew virtually nothing about the subject. I've heard of the Olmec, but that's about it.

Sorry for the heat. Just my pet peev. Besides they supposedly buikt it in the arctic.

 

[Ray McCarthy]

That makes as much sense as saying Turks built the pyramids.

Now that's an interesting theory, but weren't the people of present day Turkey in those days some very diverse peoples?
proto Celts, proto Greeks, various asians, phoenetians, trojans etc?

Probably not. But certainly no Turks.

 

[Khuratokh]

Now that's an interesting theory, but weren't the people of present day Turkey in those days some very diverse peoples?
proto Celts, proto Greeks, various asians, phoenetians, trojans etc?

Probably not. But certainly no Turks.

Kinda my point. Meso-America has a long dynamic history with lots of different peoples. To just stamp "Aztec" on everything south of Texas, is painfully simplistic, not to mention insulting.
Also migrations happened all the time, same as everywhere else on the planet. The notion that after the first people crossed over the Bering strait, everyone stayed put, is pretty far of the mark.

 

[Khuratokh]

Back on topic

Lucy recently reinvigorated the notion we only use 10 percent of our brain.

Also everytime they use a defibrillator like a set jump cables. Bringing a silent heart back into pumping condition.

Asteroid thickets. Lots of rocks of varying sizes all within a few metres of each other.
Gravity usually makes them clump together leaving vast distances between them. So unless a larger body just fractured, this is unlikely to stay this way.

 

[Dave]

One of the classic authors wrote a story where a spaceship is wrecked, and the crew have to jump to a nearby rescue vessel- but unfortunately all their suits were in the part that was destroyed. The person giving the instructions assures them that in that short time their blood won't boil or lungs explode- the only bad result is they end up with massive sunburns. Don't know how accurate it was.

If you go to the films forum and find the thread on the original Arny version of "Total Recall" there is a long discussion on this subject based around the "eye-popping" effects in that film with the actual quoting of science articles IIRC. If think the final agreement was that blood won't boil or lungs explode. The eye-popping is unlikely, but then it is also possibly a false memory too!