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Neil deGrasse Tyson Tackles the Science of Game of Thrones
Neil deGrasse Tyson, famous in part for using his scientific literacy to point out flaws in TV and movies, recently criticized the good and bad science behind HBO's Game of Thrones.
29 September, 2017
Lord Tyson?
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b8c02b12-ceb8-c559-1cb1-90676c0c2d4d"> </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>Astrophysicist, author, and science communicator Neil DeGrasse Tyson has in recent years earned himself a label with which he doesn't quite agree: <em>pop-culture nitpicker.</em></span></p> <blockquote> </blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>“I got branded as someone who nitpicks,” Tyson said in a </span><a href="http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2017/09/neil-degrasse-tyson-wants-to-school-trump/startalk" target="_blank"><span>2017 interview</span></a><span> with <em>Complex</em>. “I took private offense at that. Here’s why: If you’re watching a Jane Austen period piece, and people come up to an English countryside home in a horse drawn carriage and somebody gets out of the carriage with tie dye bell bottoms, you would cry foul. You would say the costume designer had their head up their ass. You’d be praised for making that observation. But all of a sudden </span><span>I’m</span><span> a buzzkill.”</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>It started in 2013 when Tyson fired out a barrage of fact-checking tweets about the movie </span><span><em>Gravity</em>.</span></p> <blockquote> </blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mysteries of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gravity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gravity</a>: Why Bullock, a medical Doctor, is servicing the Hubble Space Telescope.</p> <p>— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/386986752914624513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2013</a></p> <p>Tyson has since Tweeted about shoddy science in films such as <em>Alien: Covenant</em>, <em>Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2</em>, and, surprisingly enough, <em>Baywatch</em>. But most recently, Tyson used his scientific literacy to weigh in on decidedly new territory — the medieval fantasy world of <em>Game of Thrones. </em></p> <p><span>Here are a few of his tweets, along with a quick look at the science behind them. (Warning: spoilers ahead.)</span></p> <blockquote> </blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bad Physics in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GameOfThrones?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GameOfThrones</a>: Pulling a dragon out of a lake? Chains need to be straight, and not curve over hill and dale. <a href="https://t.co/VIJlIuDz3L">pic.twitter.com/VIJlIuDz3L</a></p> <p>— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/912057088855220226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2017</a></p> <p><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"> </p><p>Here, Tyson’s referring to a concept in physics called <a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/forces-newtons-laws/tension-tutorial/a/what-is-tension" target="_blank">tension</a>: the pulling force transmitted axially by something like a rope, cable, or chain. This force allows objects to be pulled or suspended in the air. But when there’s slack in the rope that means there’s zero tension. That also means zero pulling force.</p> <p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODM0MDY0Mi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTM3MDE4M30.pdIZAdz2nZ4XPytSjEawwUSSlFh8UC404J1U0MnkqD0/img.png?width=980" id="3f096" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a4bf4c14ccffd478c75621a69c02fd74" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /></p> <p>So, considering there’s slack in the white walkers' chains, it’d be impossible for them to haul the dragon Viserion out of the water. Speaking of the reanimated Viserion, would blue fire really melt the wall?</p> <blockquote> </blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Intriguing Thermal Physics in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GameOfThrones?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GameOfThrones</a>: BlueDragon breath would be at least a factor of 3X hotter than RedDragon breath <a href="https://t.co/RvpBkqJ1sw">pic.twitter.com/RvpBkqJ1sw</a></p> <p>— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/912070876950122496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2017</a></p> <p><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"/> </p><p>This claim seems spot on (except for a couple caveats listed below).</p> <p>Flames are produced through combustion, which is the chemical reaction between a fuel and a compound of oxygen. The general rule is: the hotter the flame, the cooler the color. Flames are reddish between 1,112 and 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit, orangish between 1,832 and 2,192 Fahrenheit, and yellowish between 2,192 and 2,552 Fahrenheit. Any hotter than that, flames enter the blue-violet end of the visible spectrum.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 17px;"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODM0MDY0My9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDM3NjQ2MH0.IjgV7wZZv5_qPItiZ4jDOzEAEAF9AO8OgkAY2BktJhQ/img.gif?width=980" id="b8112" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e4515724bf1f333a03ba92ea5acf696b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /></span></p> <p>But — not to nitpick the nitpicker — there could be some other factors Tyson’s not considering here. First, the colors emitted by flames are sometimes determined by the <a href="https://van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=1545" target="_blank">molecules and atoms in the fire</a>, not necessarily its temperature. And second, not everyone’s convinced Viserion is breathing fire at all. As Game of Thrones sound designer Paula Fairfield <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/08/game-of-thrones-ice-dragon-zombie-dragon-viserion-burlington-bar-fans-paula-fairfield-sound-design" target="_blank">suggested</a> to Vanity Fair:</p> <blockquote> </blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>“He’s just going at it and slicing with this. It's kind of like liquid nitrogen. It’s so, so cold. So imagine if that’s what it was, but it’s so cold it’s hot. That kind of thing.”</span></p> <p dir="ltr">Either way, Tyson also tweeted about the biology of the <em>Game of Thrones</em> dragons.</p> <blockquote> </blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Good Biology in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GameOfThrones?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GameOfThrones</a>: As in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LordOfTheRings?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LordOfTheRings</a>, Dragons forfeited their forelimbs to make wings, like birds & bats. <a href="https://t.co/pguBe6rosQ">pic.twitter.com/pguBe6rosQ</a></p> <p>— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/912062422898348034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2017</a></p> <p><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"/> </p><p dir="ltr">Birds appear to be the ancestors of a branch of bipedal, carnivorous dinosaur called theropods. The forelimbs of these upright animals were mostly unnecessary to locomotion, so over time they were modified by evolution to serve other purposes — like flight.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xODM0MDY0NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMjU3MDQ2Mn0.LWZsvqNoJgL2ASvQ5tPm8egjhCgBqasXluT2ynkumCk/img.jpg?width=980" id="0544a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b8cff8634577b3edd3d020172a31a693" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><br/><em>Artist rendering of a theropod.</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>Capping off his <em>Game of Thrones</em> tweeting spree, Tyson left his followers with a not-so-subtle political message regarding one of the show's most significant cultural customs.</span></p> <blockquote> </blockquote><blockquote> </blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en">In the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GameOfThrones?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GameOfThrones</a> Universe, to "bend the knee" represents the very highest form of respect and loyalty.</p> <blockquote>— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) <a href="https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/912299342559694848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2017</a></blockquote> <div class="video-full-card-placeholder" data-slug="neil-degrasse-tyson-the-best-tactic-for-science-education-leverage-the-power-of-pop-culture" style="border: 1px solid #ccc;">
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Noam Chomsky's Surprising Take on the Russia Scandal
Renowned linguist and public intellectual MIT Professor Noam Chomsky offers his take on the Trump administration and its troubles with Russia.
06 August, 2017
Noam Chomsky. May, 18, 2010. Photo credit: KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP/Getty Images.
<p class="p1">Noam Chomsky has generally been one of the strongest intellectual voices of the left for decades. But he has an unexpected take on the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38966846" target="_blank">growing scandal</a> around President Trump and the alleged “collusion” with Russia. The 88-year-old MIT professor Chomsky, a celebrated linguist and philosopher, thinks that the Russia story is a major distraction and it’s wrong for Democrats to focus their energies on it. </p> <p class="p3"><span class="s1">In an April 6th conversation, organized by the American Association of Geographers, Chomsky characterized President Trump as not having a strong center of beliefs, while “</span><span class="s2">his only ideology is ‘me’</span>. What is instead happening is that Republicans, led by Paul Ryan, whom Chomsky called “<span class="s2">the most dangerous and savage group in the country,"</span> are implementing “savage” programs that they planned for decades designed to favor the rich and “<span class="s2">kick everyone else in the face.” </span></p> <p class="p4"><span class="s3">This kind of planned attack is supported by how Trump’s cabinet was designed, according to Chomsky. </span></p> <blockquote>
<p class="p4"><span class="s3">“Every cabinet official was chosen to destroy anything of human significance in that part of the government. It’s so systematic that it can’t be unplanned. I doubt that Trump planned it,” says Chomsky in the conversation.</span></p>
</blockquote> <p class="p4"><span class="s3">And to distract attention from their real agenda, the Trump team is running a “two-tiered operation,” claims Chomsky, with advisor Stephen Bannon in charge of “the effort to try to make sure you capture the headlines.” With one outrageous incident at the White House or incendiary tweet succeeding another, President Trump is keeping the media occupied and people talking. And what happens is that they very soon forget whatever the latest scandal was and move on, while the real issues get left unexplored.</span> </p> <p class="p7"><span class="s3">See the segment of the interview on Trump and Ryan here:</span></p> <div><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="edb707964720b73af85ce83df9c498e3"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4LyjdaVuOok?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></div> <p class="p3">Chomsky also called out Democrats for “cooperating in a very striking way”. The biggest part of that cooperation is their insistence on stoking the Russian scandal and making it a major distraction from more significant problems. Chomsky thinks that finding a common language with Russians is essential even if you believe they hacked the 2016 elections. The United States has not only influenced elections, it has even installed military dictatorships overseas and cannot claim moral high ground here, explains the professor. </p> <p class="p3">A better way would be to look at what happened through the prism of diplomacy, even if members of the Trump team met with Russians, including the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/us/politics/trump-meeting-russia.html" target="_blank">now-infamous meeting</a> between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer. In fact, President Trump’s attempts to improve relations with Russia is “<span class="s2">one of the few decent things Trump has been doing,” says Chomsky.</span></p> <blockquote>
<p class="p5">“So maybe members of his transition team contacted the Russians. Is that a bad thing?” expounds Professor Chomsky. “Recent ambassador to Russia, Jack Matlock, had a blog where he pointed out that ‘It’s exactly what you should be doing. It’s the job of ambassadors and diplomats coming in. There are serious problems and tensions you want to talk over to see if there’s anything you can do about them. Instead of just building up force and violence.’ That’s what the democrats are focusing on, and meanwhile all these other things are going on and they’re not saying anything about them.” </p>
</blockquote> <p class="p7"><span class="s3">In a <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/07/02/noam_chomsky_to_rt_if_you_criticize_policy_you_are_anti-american_this_concept_only_exists_in_totalitarian_states.html" target="_blank">recent interview with RT,</a> Chomsky doubled down on his criticism of the Republican Party, which he previously called an organization “dedicated to the destruction of organized human life on Earth.”</span></p> <blockquote>
<p class="p9"><span class="s3">"The position of the savage wing of American capitalism, the Republican Party, is really striking, they are really racing toward a precipice. Has there really been an organization in history that has dedicated itself to the destruction of human life?" <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/07/02/noam_chomsky_to_rt_if_you_criticize_policy_you_are_anti-american_this_concept_only_exists_in_totalitarian_states.html" target="_blank"><span class="s5">said Chomsky</span></a>. ”The US is racing toward the precipice, while the world is trying to do something.”</span></p>
</blockquote> <p class="p7"><span class="s3">Here’s the full interview with Professor Chomsky at the American Association of Geographers:</span></p> <div><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6aae0fa1e93142b9b1e941e27cdc127c"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/frhKQfroYh0?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span></div>
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Why So Many People Think the United Airlines Video Shows the Decline of America
Video of a man being dragged off a United Airlines flight sparks widespread outrage.
11 April, 2017
<p class="p1">Chances are, by now you’ve probably seen the disturbing videos of a passenger getting violently dragged off a United Airlines flight when he refused to give up his seat. The airline wanted to boot four people off the April 9th flight from Chicago to Louisville, KY so it could accommodate some of its employees. While the others got off the plane without incident, the 69-year-old Dr. Dao said he needed to get back to his patients and did not want to leave. United called in airport security which pulled him out of his seat and through the plane to horrified looks and exclamations from other passengers. In the process Dr. Dao was hurt, bloodied and was spotted afterwards repeating “Kill me” over and over, clearly very traumatized.</p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">The security officer involved in the altercation has been placed on administrative leave, while investigation takes place. It seems to reason that the officer will get a big part of the blame. <a href="https://bigthink.rebelmouse.com/robby-berman/do-you-really-have-to-get-off-the-plane-if-an-airline-overbook" target="_blank">It also seems at this point</a> that the United Airlines is within its right to boot people off their planes. Even for no reason. But this fact has only added to the flames of a resounding public outcry against the actions of United, which is ultimately held responsible for this chain of events.</span></p> <blockquote>
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/united">@United</a> overbook <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flight3411?src=hash">#flight3411</a> and decided to force random passengers off the plane. Here's how they did it: <a href="https://t.co/QfefM8X2cW">pic.twitter.com/QfefM8X2cW</a></p>
</blockquote> <blockquote>— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayseDavid/status/851223662976004096">April 10, 2017</a></blockquote> <p><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"> </p><blockquote></blockquote><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/flythefriendlyskies?src=hash">#flythefriendlyskies</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/united">@united</a> no words. This poor man!! <a href="https://t.co/rn0rbeckwT">pic.twitter.com/rn0rbeckwT</a></p> <p>— Kaylyn Davis (@kaylyn_davis) <a href="https://twitter.com/kaylyn_davis/status/851480498186485760">April 10, 2017</a></p> <p><script src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"/> </p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/nation-now/2017/04/10/united-under-fire-after-man-dragged-off-overbooked-flight/100287740/" target="_blank">Many on social media</a> are outraged at what happened to Dr. Dao and feel strongly that what United did was completely uncalled-for. While the law may be on the side of the airline, it seemed to fail miserably in human terms.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">One other common refrain of the outpouring of reactions is the sentiment that the incident shows America is in decline. </span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Why do many people feel that way?</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">While certainly more details will come out, the initial reaction often reveals something important about us. The hard-to-watch video that’s by now been seen by millions around the world encapsulates within it many American fears and failures.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1">Here’s what people see:</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>America is no longer a moral authority</strong> - what happened is the kind of thing people expect to see in developing, unstable countries. Not in a civilized society that’s always prided itself for promoting freedom and human rights around the world. And this would be an overreaction if this truly was an isolated incident, but in America of today this feels like a part of an expanding pattern. Social discourse, the way relate to each other, has lost much civility. The country’s travel industry is set to be <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/36a40fae-0d44-11e7-b030-768954394623" target="_blank">decimated by the effects</a> of the recent travel restrictions. It doesn't seems like a welcoming, special place any more.<br/></span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>The demise of customer service</strong> - the maxim that the customer is always right is an American institution, a myth that actually often approached reality in the service industry, a proud standard respected around the world. United Airlines offered Dr. Dao $800 to get off the plane, but resorted to violence when he didn’t want to take it. No matter what argument it could have had with the man, who remained peaceful - this is an atrocious resolution. With a <a href="https://wpcarey.asu.edu/research/services-leadership/2004-national-customer-rage-study" target="_blank">recent national survey</a> showing that 2/3 of Americans experienced “customer rage” in the past year due to poor customer service, it’s safe to say this issue is not confined to United.</span></p> <p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>The encroachment of corporate power on individual rights</strong> - not only do corporations buy our politicians, but the law seems to enshrine their increasingly unreasonable rights and protections. How is overbooking legal? The airlines are trying to account for human nature by selling more tickets than they have seats, counting on the fact that some people won’t show up. And then they boot people off planes if too many do show up. In what other industry is this kind of business structure possible? Selling something you don’t necessarily have. And if you don’t agree with this, they are calling the cops on you and not feeling too apologetic, as the <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/10/united-ceo-says-airline-had-to-re-accommodate-passenger-and-twitter-is-having-a-riot.html" target="_blank">response from the CEO of United Oscar Munoz showed</a>. He said sorry for having to "re-accomodate" customers, as if the only issue here is the airline's efficiency, while ignoring the brutal facts of what was done to their passenger.</span></p> <p class="p1"><strong>The growing police state </strong>- there are continuous instances of the <a href="https://www.justsecurity.org/37125/police-militarization-trump-era/" target="_blank">increasing militarization of American police</a> as well as numerous times when they seem woefully undertrained, reacting to situations that can be resolved in further dialogue with extreme violence. The grotesque actions of airport security personnel are not justifiable by any means as the passenger posed no threat.</p> <p class="p1"><strong>Racism</strong> - many Chinese <a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/asia/racism-allegations-united-airlines-chinese-social-media-1202028033/" target="_blank">are</a><a href="http://variety.com/2017/digital/asia/racism-allegations-united-airlines-chinese-social-media-1202028033/" target="_blank"> seeing</a> racism in the fact that the singled out Dr. Dao was Asian. Discussions of the incident garnered millions of views on the social network Weibo, with many calling for the boycott of the airline. They wonder if the American vision of a cohesive multi-cultural society is falling apart.</p> <p class="p1"><strong>Monopoly </strong>- this is what happens when there are only a few companies in the market. Customer service goes down the drain. Prices are unreasonable. And now you can even get beaten up. This is also in an industry that U.S. taxpayers supported via a government bailout, with the once-beloved United <a href="http://www.taxpayer.net/library/weekly-wastebasket/article/big-airlines-benefit-from-bailout-bill" target="_blank">getting the largest chunk of the money.</a></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s1">The upside of the public's reaction so far has been the near-universal condemnation of the company. Maybe this is something that can bring us together. First the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjn-ubU1pvTAhUGllQKHSUzAMcQFgg0MAM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theatlantic.com%2Fbusiness%2Farchive%2F2017%2F04%2Fpepsi-kendall-jenner-ad-how%2F522423%2F&usg=AFQjCNE7xlws6RyYbUHQQYRghrD0Kvz4sQ&sig2=0XPemNWAfhnVoKqGuIRd7Q" target="_blank">Pepsi ad</a>, now this. People are not only appalled that this happened, but appalled that they live in an America where they can witness such treatment of their fellow citizens. This doesn't look like the country that has always been a symbolic beacon for many in the world. </span></p></script></p>
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