“The Three-Body Problem” is a fresh series from Netflix. It falls under the science-fiction genre, and as we know, different productions approach scientific accuracy in various ways. So, how does this series measure up in that regard?
WARNING! This text contains significant spoilers.
Throughout watching the series, I came across several scenes that seemed quite unrealistic to me, and I decided to write about them. Let’s go through them together in chronological order.
To start off, in one of the first scenes of the series, Vera Ye commits suicide by jumping into a water tank supposedly located in a particle collider. However, there is no reason for such a tank to be in a collider, as these are essentially very long tubes where particles are accelerated and directed at each other using electric and magnetic fields. The correct setting for such a tank would be a nuclear reactor, where water is used for cooling and absorbing radiation produced during reactions, or in a neutrino detector (neutrinos are very tiny elementary particles that pass through our bodies by the billions every second). This scene actually takes place in such a detector. Neutrinos, which rarely interact with anything, occasionally react with a water molecule in the large pool, and this reaction is detected by the sensors on the walls we see in this scene.
Shortly after, we learn about Ye Wenjie’s story and how her life led her to send a message to a distant star system. Let’s set aside the fact that the San-Ti understand Chinese, as the issue of whether communication with a civilization so different from ours is even possible (even after many years of determined effort on both sides) goes beyond physics. This was pondered by Stanisław Lem in his novels “Solaris” and “Fiasco.” The communication depicted in the series is questionable from a physics standpoint because the signal is supposedly “reflected off the Sun” to boost its strength. Several problems arise here. First, the Sun would likely scatter and partially absorb the signal rather than reflect it. Even if the signal was reflected, this reflection would not increase the signal’s energy. Although the Sun emits immense amounts of energy, enabling life on Earth, this energy is in the form of blackbody radiation, essentially thermal radiation, which cannot carry information. This inability to carry information is even one of the reasons behind the so-called information paradox affecting black holes. Thus, even if it was somehow possible to reflect the signal off the Sun and the beam had more overall energy, the Sun would only add noise to the signal, complicating its decoding.
Now let’s delve into the core of the series – the four-body system from which the San-Ti originate. Yes, we are dealing with a four-body system – three stars and a planet. Interestingly, such systems are fairly common in the cosmos. It is estimated that about half of the observed stars are in multiple systems, i.e., two or more stars gravitationally bound together. Most of these systems do not behave chaotically. They often have a hierarchical structure, with one or two large stars at the center and the third and subsequent stars orbiting the center on stable paths. This doesn’t mean chaotic systems don’t exist, but they are usually very young star systems where there is still a struggle to establish stable orbits, often resulting in the ejection of one of the stars. While discovering stars is much easier than finding planets, we know of cases where a planet exists in a three-star system. One such planet, HD 188753 A b, was discovered by a Polish astronomer, Maciej Konacki.
Since we’re now on a distant planet trying to survive, let’s examine the issues faced by the San-Ti. According to the series, they experience chaotic periods, during which the planet lacks a stable orbit, and calm periods, during which it orbits one of the stars. These are not ideal conditions for the development of a civilization, but there are more problems with the civilization depicted in the series. Firstly, a highly chaotic triple system suggests a young system where a civilization would not have had enough time to develop. Secondly, in a situation where stars are so close to each other, there would likely be a continuous exchange of matter between them. This process would be far more destructive than the strong winds and sudden temperature spikes depicted. On the other hand, the inhabitants of such a planet would not be at risk of being pulled away by the gravity of the stars. We on Earth are constantly being pulled towards the Sun, and we’re always “falling” towards it, but Earth’s speed keeps us from crashing into it. For the San-Ti to be pulled away from their planet, the difference in gravitational pull induced by stars on them and their planet would need to be bigger than the pull of their planet on them. This is theoretically possible, but their planet would be torn apart by these gravitational differences much sooner.
One of the key motifs in the series is the nanofibers developed by Auggie. According to the series, these have extraordinary properties, particularly in terms of strength and thickness. Nothing with such properties exists yet, but let’s focus on the scene where a ship is “cut” by these nanofibers. This scene might seem intuitive in some ways. After all, the sharper the knife we use, the easier it is to cut vegetables. This is true; thinner objects indeed cut better. However, it does not mean that an infinitely thin object automatically cuts through everything. The objects we encounter are held together by various forces, and cutting an object depends on overcoming these forces. For vegetables or skin, these are mainly intercellular forces, but for a ship, they are covalent bonds between individual atoms. Such forces are significantly stronger compared to intercellularr forces and are responsible for the strength of steel.
Another fascinating aspect is the sophons, or supercomputers encapsulated in individual protons. This concept is intriguing for many reasons and draws from various theories and hypotheses. Starting with the “unfolding” of the proton, this is an issue that modern physics cannot definitively address. It pertains to the problem of quantum gravity, where general relativity accurately describes the gravity of stars, and quantum mechanics describes particle behavior, but we know nothing about particle gravity. One theory attempting to solve this is string theory, which predicts the existence of higher dimensions that could be “unfolded” similarly. However, it’s important to remember that this theory has NOT been confirmed in any way and is just a speculative idea about how the world might work. The series gets a nod for mentioning the enormous energies required for such a process, which are a significant barrier in studying quantum gravity phenomena.
The second intriguing aspect of sophons is their control by the San-Ti. The series explains this using quantum entanglement, which is a real phenomenon and is being explored for quantum teleportation. In brief, this phenomenon involves connecting two particles such that each responds instantly to what happens to the other, no matter the distance between them. However, several problems arise because quantum mechanics severely limits the possibilities of controlling such particles. Essentially, the only way to affect entanglement and extract information from it is to measure one of the particles, but such a measurement irreversibly destroys the entanglement. There’s also the issue of transmitting information since the entangled partner does indeed react instantaneously to the measurement, but using it in any way requires sending a message about the measurement result. Entanglement is a topic that will undoubtedly reoccur in many sci-fi works and has been sparking debates since Einstein’s time, with much more to be explored.
Finally, let’s discuss the ending, namely the “Staircase” project. In my personal opinion, this is one of the most realistic events in the series, precisely because it was such a failure. The basic idea is feasible. A large sail that would be propelled by radiation pressure from nuclear detonations is, in principle, physically sound. The idea of having a hole in the sail to allow for central explosions and reduce course deviations is also a plus. The problems arise when we consider the precision required for the entire project. Traditionally, probes are equipped with small thrusters that can adjust their course in real-time, but in this case, any slight deviation from the course would be compounded by each subsequent detonation. Placing the charges precisely would also be incredibly challenging. While the exact orbits of these explosives are not detailed, they are certainly in constant motion relative to the Earth and the ship. Without visible correction engines, each charge would need to be placed with extraordinary precision so that all align at the right moment during the probe’s passage. There is no room for launch delays due to bad weather (a common occurrence in reality) or the probe traveling faster than anticipated (as suggested in the series). It’s also worth considering what happened to the remnants of the containers holding the explosives. Such space debris can be deadly for probes and satellites, and none of them travel at the high speeds depicted in the series. While the concept has some basis in physics, it is ultimately unfeasible.The Three-Body Problem is a series that takes significant liberties with physics, and that’s perfectly fine! It’s a narrative series, not a scientific documentary. Nevertheless, it’s always a good opportunity to learn something new. After all, you never know if this knowledge might come in handy in the future, perhaps in the recruitment process for a mission to the stars!
Fot. Unsplash
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