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It’s “SciFact vs SciFi: The Universe According to Hollywood” with Douglas Scott tonight.
This is @NerdNiteYVR Goes To the Movies 2 at @VIFFest; I’ll be talking at 3 on Aug 14.
For now: livetweet time!
This is @NerdNiteYVR Goes To the Movies 2 at @VIFFest; I’ll be talking at 3 on Aug 14.
For now: livetweet time!
“Space is really big...” starts a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
“You have to break the universe” to get Faster-Than-Light (FTL) interstellar travel, but it’s popular in scifi like Star Trek (warp drive) & Star Wars (hyperspace).
(But what about Stargate??)
“You have to break the universe” to get Faster-Than-Light (FTL) interstellar travel, but it’s popular in scifi like Star Trek (warp drive) & Star Wars (hyperspace).
(But what about Stargate??)
Shoutout to lightsail!
Just build a Death Star laser to feed it, and, uh, forget about slowing down if you’re going to run a starshot project.
Just build a Death Star laser to feed it, and, uh, forget about slowing down if you’re going to run a starshot project.
“Not fanfiction. Fanfact? Arguing about the facts of shit that was made up.”
I remain proud that Stargate is (mostly) internally consistent.
Star Trek has speed limits (“If you can go faster than light, I don’t know why you’d invent a new limit”) & Star Wars is confusing.
I remain proud that Stargate is (mostly) internally consistent.
Star Trek has speed limits (“If you can go faster than light, I don’t know why you’d invent a new limit”) & Star Wars is confusing.
“If you want to argue about which is better, Star Wars or Star Trek, they go WAY FASTER in Star Wars.”
Hello, slightly drunk audience attending a recreational science night. You down for time dilation, space contraction, and the truly fucked up nature of near-light speed travel irl? No? Drink more.
“You can make up as much shit up as you like; it’s not how the universe works.”
“You can make up as much shit up as you like; it’s not how the universe works.”
I may have just realized this is a 19+ theatre that sells booze at the snack-bar at “We’re a nonprofit & you’re our membership” discount prices.
This may adjust my plan for Aug 14.
This may adjust my plan for Aug 14.
“People make up wormholes. It’s greed. They should be happy with black holes! Black holes are really cool.”
...ya know, fair enough. When it comes to plausible storytelling, I am so very, very greedy.
...ya know, fair enough. When it comes to plausible storytelling, I am so very, very greedy.
OH. FUCK. YES. Disney’s The Black Hole!! I taught this movie back when I ran Practical Science Fiction at UCSB. The ambiguously gay robots warm my heart.
“It was Disney’s first PG movie for several uses of the word ‘darn’ and ‘Hell.’ It was very adult.”
“It was Disney’s first PG movie for several uses of the word ‘darn’ and ‘Hell.’ It was very adult.”
Interstellar is getting love for its black hole visualization where “Science is way cooler than fiction” and that the first irl image of a black hole (shoutout Event Horizon Telescope!) is a lower res version of what’s in the movie.
“There are parts of the movie where they’ve completely twisted reality to suit the story, and that’s okay. Nobody wants to be a party pooper.”
This is legit the most fun I have with science consulting for fiction. Story’s gonna story; I have to find a way to make it make sense.
This is legit the most fun I have with science consulting for fiction. Story’s gonna story; I have to find a way to make it make sense.
Oh hi, LIGO & gravitational waves. I remember your first detection!
And now we’re getting a handle on “normal” gravitational waves from black hole & neutron star collisions, we’re going to start getting in to the Weird Shit ™
And now we’re getting a handle on “normal” gravitational waves from black hole & neutron star collisions, we’re going to start getting in to the Weird Shit ™
After a question suggesting we know fuck-all about the universe, Scott agrees but sees that as inspiring.
“Who wants to get involved in a thing where all the answers are known already?”
“Who wants to get involved in a thing where all the answers are known already?”
Ah, Annie Hall is on deck for the expansion of the Universe (& subsequent nihilism)
Experimental cosmology was my very first research project. Total soft-spot & one of my fav casual party conversations that’s less-doom-ish than most.
Experimental cosmology was my very first research project. Total soft-spot & one of my fav casual party conversations that’s less-doom-ish than most.
“There’s a lot of things in popular cosmology that confuses everybody.
[...]
If you think it’s hard to think of something infinitely large and getting bigger, you’re in good company. Infinity times a number is still infinity, it’s just bigger.”
[...]
If you think it’s hard to think of something infinitely large and getting bigger, you’re in good company. Infinity times a number is still infinity, it’s just bigger.”
“I don’t know if it really helps, but a couple of drinks & we’ll get back to it.”
This makes me a terrible role model, but tequila shots got me through quantum mechanics. I still start spontaneously teaching quantum when I’ve had too much to drink.
This makes me a terrible role model, but tequila shots got me through quantum mechanics. I still start spontaneously teaching quantum when I’ve had too much to drink.
“The future of the universe is dark & dismal” due to the constant expansion of the universe as more and more space separates everything.
The Big Chill is an excellent segue to not my doom night in 2 weeks.
Ending clip: Stephen Hawking’s cover of Monty Python’s Galaxy Song
The Big Chill is an excellent segue to not my doom night in 2 weeks.
Ending clip: Stephen Hawking’s cover of Monty Python’s Galaxy Song
Vancouver folks: Grab your tickets for my turn to lead us on a catastrophic adventure.
My clip-list is due Friday so get in any last requests! (Not in Van? I’ll be tweeting notes & I’m always game for invites to perform in your city.)
My clip-list is due Friday so get in any last requests! (Not in Van? I’ll be tweeting notes & I’m always game for invites to perform in your city.)
And Vancouver? Buy your @VIFFest membership.
It’s $2/year to support a nonprofit theatre venue in a city so wrapped up in film that we’re Hollywood North. They support industry mentoring & community education. Give ‘em love: viff.org/Online/members…
It’s $2/year to support a nonprofit theatre venue in a city so wrapped up in film that we’re Hollywood North. They support industry mentoring & community education. Give ‘em love: viff.org/Online/members…
