Science in Martian and Interstellar Films

Space movies are becoming increasingly important in the recent years.  For instance, the movies ‘’Interstellar’’ by Christopher Nolan and the ‘’Martian’’ by Ridley Scott are some of the leading movies in this sector. Besides having similar characters such as Matt Damon, the two movies are similar in several ways and at the same time they vary in some respect. The use of science in the two movies is an interesting topic since the two thrilling movies have to a great extent used science.  In this paper, we will have a brief comparison of how the two movies have been able to use science.

To start with, Martian revolves a story of NASA astronaut, Mark Watney, who is left in the midst of a devastating storm by his crew in the context that he might have died. Considering the conditions, limited food, oxygen and energy, Watney must use science to survive until a rescue mission is accomplished.  Watney must figure out how to feed himself and reestablish communication with NASA to ensure that he organizes a rescue mission.  For instance, the movie shows use of science when Matt Damon, acting as Mark Watney, decides to make water to ensure hi survival (Weir). Damon gets hydrazine from the rocket fuel and dissociates it into nitrogen and hydrogen which is scientifically correct. After dissociating, he burns hydrogen with oxygen thereby succeeding in making drinking water. This is a scientifically proved process that played an instrumental part in the starring’s survival in mars.

Besides use of science for survival as rescue mission is being organized, the movie Martian also employs science in the rescue operation itself. A character, by the name Donald Glover, is seen as a n innovative guy who comes up with a gravity-assist trajectory that plays a significant role in the rescue operation. Although senior people and engineers in the rescue mission initially downplayed the idea, it is prudent to note that the idea had initially got a scientific nod at the Nasa’s jet propulsion laboratory in the 1960s. The idea of gravity assist has been used in voyager programme to go to Jupiter Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and consequently was vital in mars.

On the other hand, the movie ‘’Interstellar ‘’ also involves exploring the space and like the latter, there is extensive use of science in the movie. In this movie, Damon acts as Dr. Mann, a scientist who gets stranded in an icy planet and awaits rescue. This looks much similar to the movie ‘’Martian’’ where these characters fight for survival in very unpleasant conditions (Thorne and Nolan). Also, the movie interstellar is concerned with other scientific exploration aimed at saving human kind. For instance, the crew of Interstellar endurance spaceship faced headache as they tried to get Miller to planet because it was trapped within the control of huge black hole Gargantua (Clery). To avoid being sucked into the hole, it was instrumental for the spaceship to travel at very high speed to deal with the huge centrifugal and gravitational forces. However, this may not be scientifically correct as the spaceship needed to travel in a speed of light to escape the pull of the black hole and then quickly slow down to enable it land on the planet and this is not scientifically correct.

In the movie Interstellar, there is also a claim that time can be wrapped up in space. The movie asserts that characters can age at different speeds on basis of their position in the universe (Gilster). For example, when Cooper and Brand make their trip to Miller’s planet they age by only few hours, only to return and find Romilly 26 years older. This could be scientifically true as days and years are as a result of the revolution of the planet which varies across all the planets (Thorne and Nolan).  Extinction of corn and the issue of worm holes are other significant scientific aspects in the movie Interstellar.

In essence, the two films have extensively used science that varies from physics, mathematics, botany and chemistry. The directors of the movies have ensured that they give scientific reasoning to all the happenings in the two fascinating movies. Nevertheless, it is wise pointing out that the science used in the two films is quite different. While the film ‘’Martian’’ has used extensive scientific correct approach, there are different flaws identified in the Interstellar science (Weir). Nevertheless, there are several comparable aspects that are evident in the two films.

 

Work cited

Clery, Daniel. “Science Inspired Interstellar, And Film Now Returns The Favor”. Science (2015): n. pag. Web.

Gilster, Paul. Centauri Dreams. New York: Copernicus, 2004. Print.

Thorne, Kip S and Christopher Nolan. The Science Of Interstellar, 2015. Print.

Weir, Andy. The Martian FTI. Random House UK, 2015. Print.

 
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