Scientific and Science Fiction

Science fiction may provide an engaging lens through which individuals perceive scientific concepts, often blending fact and fanciful speculation. The film Interstellar (2014) provides a case in point. One of the scientifically accurate concepts introduced in the film is gravitational time dilation. As characters near a supermassive black hole, they experience time much more slowly than observers elsewhere: Scientific and Science Fiction.

This is a real effect that is predicted by Einstein’s general theory of relativity, in which gravity actually warps space and time (Fraknoi et al., 2022). The fact that time goes more slowly when nearer to strong gravitational fields in the film is actually reflected in experimental physics, such as in the calibration of GPS satellites, so this is a clear example of science informing science fiction.

Notably, Interstellar also includes content that is purely speculative. The most prominent example is the introduction of a “tesseract”, a five-dimensional space that allows the protagonist to view and communicate with the past. While string theory and other attempts at theoretical physics discuss extra dimensions, there is no empirical evidence for interacting with time in the manner of a spatial dimension.

The film uses this fictional assumption to advance the storyline, illustrating how science fiction transcends known laws of nature in order to follow unknowable possibilities (Mizan et al., 2023). The creative license illustrates the idea that the universe, as it is fraught with mysteries, is a playground for fiction writers to throw imaginative solutions at open scientific questions.

With this blend of fact and fiction in mind, my question is: If time travel or time manipulation were ever scientifically possible, how would society ensure ethical use of such power? Could science fiction writers explore government structures or safeguards preventing abuse? This could make for great plot twists and moral dilemmas, provoking both characters and readers.

References

Fraknoi, A., Morrison, D., & Wolff, S. (2022). The nature of science. In Astronomy 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/astronomy-2e/pages/1-2-the-nature-of-science

Mizan, Z., Heriansyah, H., & Marhaban, S. (2023). An analysis of the theme in the film of Interstellar. Research in English and Education Journal, 8(3), 150–159. https://jim.usk.ac.id/READ/article/view/27603

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Scientific method leading to Laws of Nature/Physics is used by the student to understand science versus science fiction. The universe is the “playground” for science fiction creation based on the unknowns in science.

• Select a science fiction novel or movie from Saint Leo University library SCI215 LibGuide and/or a film on Netflix or Hulu for example.
• State one true science fact and one science fiction aspect from the novel/movie.
  

  Scientific and Science Fiction

• Ask a question in your discussion to challenge your colleague.
• For example, how can you add to the science or science fiction in the discussion to continue the plot?