Neil deGrasse Tyson on "Interstellar"

FOX 5 New York17 minutes read

Dr. Tyson discusses the science in Interstellar, highlighting its ambitious approach to black holes, wormholes, and time dilation, rating it 8 or 9 out of 10. He critiques the film's depiction of planets orbiting black holes and explains the concept of time dilation near black holes, confirming its accuracy with GPS satellites correcting for relativity daily.

Insights

  • Dr. Tyson rates the science in Interstellar highly, particularly praising its portrayal of black holes, wormholes, and time dilation, showcasing an ambitious and scientifically accurate approach.
  • Dr. Tyson emphasizes the importance of science fiction reflecting and commenting on our world, appreciating films like "Contact" for their portrayal of humanity's reaction to discovering intelligent life, highlighting the genre's ability to provoke thought and discussion about our place in the universe.

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Recent questions

  • What does Dr. Tyson think of the science in Interstellar?

    Dr. Tyson rates the science in Interstellar 8 or 9 out of 10, praising its ambitious approach to black holes, wormholes, and time dilation.

  • How does time dilation work near black holes?

    Time dilation near black holes occurs due to deep gravitational wells, causing time to pass differently. This phenomenon is confirmed by GPS satellites correcting for relativity daily.

  • Can natural wormholes exist?

    Dr. Tyson explains the theoretical physics behind natural wormholes but notes humanity's current inability to create them, leaving their existence as a possibility for the future.

  • What is the Tesseract in Interstellar?

    The Tesseract in Interstellar is described as a higher-dimensional object allowing access to one's entire timeline. It is not for changing the past but for viewing it from a different perspective.

  • Why does Dr. Tyson appreciate science fiction films like Contact?

    Dr. Tyson appreciates science fiction films like Contact for their portrayal of how Earth would react to discovering intelligent life. He emphasizes the importance of science fiction reflecting and commenting on the world we live in.

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Summary

00:00

Dr. Tyson Analyzes Science in Interstellar

  • Dr. Tyson discusses the science in Interstellar, rating it 8 or 9 out of 10 for its ambitious approach to black holes, wormholes, and time dilation.
  • The portrayal of tidal waves in the movie is explained, with Dr. Tyson initially skeptical but later understanding the concept through Kip Thorne's book.
  • The possibility of natural wormholes is discussed, with Dr. Tyson explaining the theoretical physics behind them but acknowledging humanity's current inability to create them.
  • The visual representation of wormholes as distortions in space allowing travel between dimensions is explained.
  • Dr. Tyson critiques the film's depiction of planets orbiting black holes, stating that Earth has better planet candidates in reality.
  • The concept of time dilation near black holes is discussed, with Dr. Tyson explaining how time passes differently in deep gravitational wells.
  • The accuracy of time dilation near black holes is confirmed, with GPS satellites correcting for relativity daily.
  • Dr. Tyson delves into the theoretical possibility of parallel universes and alternate versions of individuals, citing historical scientific discoveries.
  • The gruesome fate of falling into a black hole is described, with Dr. Tyson explaining the extreme stretching and eventual disintegration of matter.
  • The concept of the Tesseract in Interstellar is explained as a higher-dimensional object allowing access to one's entire timeline, not for changing the past but for viewing it from a different perspective.

15:28

Influential films inspire Nolan and Tyson

  • Christopher Nolan, deeply influenced by "2001: A Space Odyssey," had his favorite film re-released in theaters due to limited home video access, inspiring his love for big sweeping scenes of spaceships traveling among planets.
  • Neil deGrasse Tyson appreciates science fiction films like "Contact" for their efforts in portraying how Earth would react to discovering intelligent life, emphasizing the importance of science fiction reflecting and commenting on the world we live in.
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