New Book by Prof Kip Thorne on The Science of Interstellar

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the new book "The Science of Interstellar" by Kip Thorne, which explores the physics behind the film "Interstellar." Participants emphasize that critiques of the movie's scientific accuracy often lack substance, as many critics fail to articulate specific issues. The consensus is that expecting a film to serve as a physics lecture is misguided; the balance between storytelling and scientific accuracy is crucial in science fiction. Reviews from platforms like IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes are deemed more reliable than subjective critiques focused solely on physics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts related to black holes and relativity.
  • Familiarity with the film "Interstellar" and its narrative structure.
  • Knowledge of film critique standards and audience expectations in science fiction.
  • Awareness of Kip Thorne's contributions to theoretical physics and popular science.
NEXT STEPS
  • Read "The Science of Interstellar" by Kip Thorne for insights into the physics of the film.
  • Explore black hole physics and relativity through resources like "A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking.
  • Investigate film critique methodologies to understand audience reception of science fiction.
  • Review scientific accuracy in other popular science fiction films for comparative analysis.
USEFUL FOR

Science fiction enthusiasts, physics students, filmmakers, and anyone interested in the intersection of science and cinema will benefit from this discussion.

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I found a new book on The Science of Interstellar by Kip Thorne

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393351378/?tag=pfamazon01-20

What caught my attention was a photo of John Wheeler at the black board teaching about black holes. You could see the incredible detail in each pane of the board almost like PowerPoint slides of today.
 
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Greg Bernhardt said:
Isn't this movie being torn to shreds in the SciFI forum?

No. There were a couple folks trying to sound edgy and cool, on a physics forum, spouting the usual "omg this movie sucks. the physics aren't realistic at all!" yet are apparently incapable of stating what exactly they don't like about it.

As someone in that thread already stated... anyone that goes to see the movie expecting a physics lecture is an idiot and shouldn't be making any claims about the quality of it.
 
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It's the old conundrum where if you want to make a movie with accurate physics it becomes a documentary but if you change things here and there to make the story more exciting then it becomes science fiction. It's either one or the other or worse it's a flop.
 
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jedishrfu said:
It's the old conundrum where if you want to make a movie with accurate physics it becomes a documentary but if you change things here and there to make the story more exciting then it becomes science fiction. It's either one or the other or worse it's a flop.

This is true. And I trust the reviews on IMDB & Rotten Tomatoes way more than some wet blanket that says the movie is garbage just because the physics isn't spot on. It's a MOVIE...
 

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