‘3 Body Problem’ And The Laws Of Physics | In Defense Of ‘Out Of Place’ Plants

Apr 1, 2024

Author Jessica J. Lee explores human plant migrations in her new book. The show's science advisor breaks down the physics in '3 Body Problem'. They discuss the complexities of the three-body problem in astrophysics and the portrayal of scientists in media. The conversation also covers the significance of 'out of place' plants and the impact of seed banking on plant knowledge cultures.

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INSIGHT

Three-Body Problem Explained

The three-body problem in astrophysics describes the chaotic orbits of three or more celestial bodies.
This unpredictability makes it impossible to determine future positions, unlike two-body systems.

ANECDOTE

Three-Body Problem in the Show

In the show's VR game, the three-body system causes erratic sun behavior.
This leads to chaotic cycles of melting and freezing on the planet, challenging the inhabitants' survival.

ANECDOTE

Family Connection

Matt Kenzie's father, a cinematographer, worked on Game of Thrones.
This connection led to Kenzie becoming the science advisor for Three-Body Problem years later.

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Particle accelerators, nanofibers, and solar physics: The science advisor for the Netflix adaptation breaks down the physics in the show. Also, in her new book, Jessica J. Lee looks at how humans have moved plants around the globe–and how our migrations are intertwined with theirs.

How ‘3 Body Problem’ Explores The Laws Of Physics

Last week, Netflix released its adaptation of the Hugo Award-winning sci-fi book The 3 Body Problem by Cixin Liu. It follows the journey of several scientists, from the Chinese Cultural Revolution to the present day, as they seek to understand why their fellow researchers are dying and why their scientific results no longer make sense. Along the way, they discover an ultra-advanced VR game and a dark secret that suggests we might not be alone in the universe.

Guest host Arielle Duhaime-Ross sits down with the show’s science advisor, Dr. Matt Kenzie, an associate professor of physics at the University of Cambridge, to talk about what exactly the three body problem is, why he gave the actors physics lessons, and what he hopes audiences take away from a show focused on scientists.

In Defense Of ‘Out Of Place’ Plants

The new book Dispersals: On Plants, Borders, and Belonging unpacks how we think about the migrations of both plants and humans, as well as how those ideas shape our perceptions of what we call “non-native” or “invasive” plants like giant hogweed or English ivy.

Dispersals traces the history of how we moved plants around—including cherry blossoms, mangoes, and soy—and asks: What does it mean to be a plant out of place? And how does the migration of plants mirror our own?

Guest host Arielle Duhaime-Ross talks with environmental historian and author Jessica J. Lee about Dispersals and what we can learn from the histories of plants.

Read an excerpt from Dispersals at sciencefriday.com.

Transcripts for each segment will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

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