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Famous Science Fiction Series On Netflix Completely Ripped Apart By Scientist
Astrophysicist Paul Sutter calls the science behind Netflix's ambitious series The Three-Body Problem nonsense, despite its global success.
When the creators of Game of Thrones first ventured into science fiction, the bar was automatically set high. Netflix bet heavily on their new series The Three Body Problem in March 2024, but not everyone seems equally convinced by the scientific foundation behind this grandly conceived story.
The series is based on the trilogy by Chinese author Cixin Liu and starts in the sixties during the Cultural Revolution. A secret military project sends radio signals into space and receives an unexpected reply. An alien civilization is on the brink of collapse and sees Earth as a possible escape. While various groups of people prepare for the arrival of these beings, division arises over whether the aliens should be welcomed or stopped with force.
Despite high viewing figures, the series received criticism from the scientific community. In the podcast How Real Is It by Insider, astrophysicist Paul Sutter called the scientific side of the series "nonsense". According to him, the story started strong with theoretical discussions, but derailed as soon as it revolved around the three suns moving around each other in a complex system. He ultimately gives it a score of three out of ten for realism.
Sutter explained that a real three-body problem is already visible in our own solar system, for example when calculating the trajectory of an asteroid grazing past Earth. In such cases, the gravity of the Sun, Earth, and Jupiter play a role simultaneously, making predictions very difficult. However, he considers the extreme effects shown in the series, such as massive destruction by gravity, to be completely unrealistic.
Despite this criticism, The Three Body Problem continues to be widely discussed and watched. The combination of the book, a global mystery, and the names of Benioff and Weiss proves sufficient to keep the audience captivated, even when the science is shaky according to experts. The series has since been renewed for a second and third season.
The series is based on the trilogy by Chinese author Cixin Liu and starts in the sixties during the Cultural Revolution. A secret military project sends radio signals into space and receives an unexpected reply. An alien civilization is on the brink of collapse and sees Earth as a possible escape. While various groups of people prepare for the arrival of these beings, division arises over whether the aliens should be welcomed or stopped with force.
Science under fire
Despite high viewing figures, the series received criticism from the scientific community. In the podcast How Real Is It by Insider, astrophysicist Paul Sutter called the scientific side of the series "nonsense". According to him, the story started strong with theoretical discussions, but derailed as soon as it revolved around the three suns moving around each other in a complex system. He ultimately gives it a score of three out of ten for realism.
Sutter explained that a real three-body problem is already visible in our own solar system, for example when calculating the trajectory of an asteroid grazing past Earth. In such cases, the gravity of the Sun, Earth, and Jupiter play a role simultaneously, making predictions very difficult. However, he considers the extreme effects shown in the series, such as massive destruction by gravity, to be completely unrealistic.
Continued interest
Despite this criticism, The Three Body Problem continues to be widely discussed and watched. The combination of the book, a global mystery, and the names of Benioff and Weiss proves sufficient to keep the audience captivated, even when the science is shaky according to experts. The series has since been renewed for a second and third season.
