Buzz
The bond between nerds and scientists is undeniable. The culture of one often fuels the other, driven by a shared passion for understanding both the natural and technological realms, which in turn inspire the creation of imaginative fictional universes.
Yet, it's not always the scientists who provide the spark for nerd culture to build fantastical worlds. At times, the influence flows the other way, with scientists turning to fictional universes for insights into understanding our own natural world.
Regardless of the direction in which ideas flow, a powerful symbiotic relationship thrives between both domains.
10. Atom Movement
In September 1989, IBM physicist Don Eigler succeeded in arranging 35 Xenon atoms to spell out the word “IBM.” This remarkable achievement was made possible through the use of a scanning tunneling microscope. The process involved moving a sharp tip across a surface to create attractive and repulsive forces, allowing the precise placement of atoms.
Since then, physicists have written the word for “atom” in Japanese Kanji, created the world’s smallest abacus, and left messages for colleagues. Their work culminates in the short film, “A Boy and His Atom,” which blends science with a touch of fiction.
Although the real-world application of such small-scale construction has yet to be fully realized, it is believed that the breakthroughs achieved with this technology will play a key role in advancing life-changing nanotechnology.
9. Lucy
One of the most iconic fossils in history is that of Lucy, the Australopithecus afarensis. Discovered in 1974 in Hadar, Ethiopia, by Donald Johanson and Tom Gray, Lucy is estimated to have lived around 3.2 million years ago.
Her spine’s curvature, bicondylar knees, and pelvic structure suggest she was predominantly bipedal. As such, she stands as one of the oldest known hominid ancestors when she was uncovered.
What makes this discovery particularly nerdy, you ask?
After the remains were first uncovered, the team celebrated into the night, with the famous Beatles track “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” playing on repeat. While no one knows for certain who chose the name Lucy, it’s clear the Beatles’ song had a hand in naming one of the most renowned human ancestors.
Though it might seem far-fetched to label naming a fossil after a song by the world’s most famous pop band as nerdy, I would argue that Beatlemania is a natural branch of “nerd” culture.
8. Sonic Hedgehog Gene
Scientists are known for their quirky naming habits when it comes to genes. One of the most famous is the Sonic Hedgehog gene, which plays a crucial role in the early stages of human development. It helps guide the division of the brain into its left and right hemispheres and ensures the formation of two distinct eyes.
The name Sonic Hedgehog was coined by two scientists. In the early 1990s, Christiane Nsslein-Volhard identified the gene by deactivating it in fruit flies, which led to a mutation that caused small spines to form, resembling hedgehog quills. Initially, it was called simply Hedgehog.
Three additional similar genes were discovered later on. These were named Indian, Desert, and Sonic. While Indian and Desert refer to actual species of hedgehogs, the name Sonic was chosen by researcher Robert Riddle, inspired by a promotional comic of Sonic the Hedgehog that his daughter brought over from the UK, before the video game had been released.
Recently, some scientists have been advocating for more serious and professional naming conventions for genes, aiming to avoid the playful names often given by researchers. Although the gene is now formally known as SHH, it continues to be widely referred to as Sonic Hedgehog.
7. William Gibson and The Internet
When we consume futuristic films or books, we often chuckle at how inaccurate their predictions turn out to be. Consider the portrayal of 2015 in Back to the Future and compare it to what actually happened. While predicting the future is often hit or miss, the works of William Gibson have proven to be eerily prescient.
In his debut novel, Neuromancer, written in the 1980s, Gibson envisioned a world strikingly similar to our current reality, particularly in terms of the Internet and the pervasive role of computers in everyday life. Gibson is credited with coining the terms “cyberspace” and “computer virus,” and his work inspired the film series The Matrix.
Gibson downplayed his ability to predict the future, emphasizing that his work was more about observing current human behaviors and tracing how they might evolve. Despite his uncanny foresight and influence on the world of computer science, Gibson humorously admits that one major thing he overlooked in his writings was the ubiquity of cell phones.
6. Cthulhu
H.P. Lovecraft, unable to attend college due to a childhood illness, never entered the scientific community. However, much like the mythical, tentacled god Cthulhu that embodies destruction and chaos, Lovecraft’s influence has seeped into the world of science and beyond.
For instance, a spider found in California’s redwood forests was named Pimoa cthulhu. While the spider doesn't resemble the monstrous entity, discoverer G. Hormiga explained that it was named for H.P. Lovecraft’s mythological figure Cthulhu, symbolizing the powers of chaos.
In addition, microbes known as protists, found in the intestines of termites, have been given the names Cthulhu macrofasciculumque and Cthylla microfasciculumque, as a tribute to the Great One and his hidden daughter.
These microbes are said to possess up to 20 flagella (resembling tentacles) which they use to move similarly to an octopus. Their role is crucial in breaking down the wood consumed by termites into a sugar that the insects can digest.
Beyond our planet and out into the vastness of space, a region on the dwarf planet Pluto was named in honor of Cthulhu. This area stands as one of the darkest features on the planet, alongside locations named after malevolent Lord of the Rings creatures and the Mayan god of death.
5. The Lord of the Rings Inspires Everything
Speaking of sinister beings from The Lord of the Rings, let’s explore one of the most prevalent manifestations of nerd culture within the scientific community. The influence of The Lord of the Rings permeates nearly every branch of science—from the classification of both living and extinct species to the naming of geographical areas on distant planets and comets.
There’s also a software company called Palantir that collaborates with the CIA and NSA. If you’re curious, Palantir takes its name from a crystal ball in Middle Earth that lets users peer into any part of the world. Quite intriguing, wouldn’t you say?
What’s even more fascinating is how J.R.R. Tolkien’s legacy extends beyond scientists merely naming their discoveries after elements of Middle Earth. Researchers have even crafted climate models for Tolkien’s fictional world, concluding that the Shire, home to the hobbits, closely resembles Lincolnshire or Leicestershire in the UK, while Mordor shares similarities with areas like Los Angeles or West Texas.
Some have also explored the oxygen levels of Middle Earth to assess how humans could perform extraordinary feats of physical prowess, whether Frodo could survive a stabbing while wearing mithril armor, and to analyze the physical and mental challenges faced by Gollum.
Although these studies often carry a lighthearted tone, real scientific investigations were conducted to delve into these facets of Tolkien’s world. Yet, the lingering question remains: Why do scientists feel compelled to create scientific explanations for the fantastical elements in Tolkien’s works?
The reason scientists delve so deeply into Tolkien’s works is due to the immense complexity and detail embedded within them. Tolkien not only invented languages but also developed intricate lineages and geographies, creating a rich world. Such an extraordinary level of world-building naturally draws the attention and admiration of scientific minds.
4. IBM Watson
IBM has a longstanding tradition of sparking interest in science and technology through its Grand Challenges. These challenges often feature head-to-head matchups between humans and machines, testing intellectual capacity and pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Previously, IBM introduced Deep Blue, the computer that made history by defeating Grand Master Garry Kasparov at chess. Seeking their next Grand Challenge, IBM’s Charles Lickel turned to Ken Jennings, who had set a record with 74 consecutive victories on the popular quiz show Jeopardy.
Initially dismissed as “too gimmicky,” the project evolved from creating a system that could barely outperform a five-year-old to one that triumphed over two of Jeopardy’s most iconic champions in a thrilling three-day face-off.
More than just providing answers, the system—named in honor of IBM’s founder, Thomas J. Watson—faced the added complexity of generating questions from clues presented during the game. While this might seem straightforward to a human, for a machine, it’s a subtle but important distinction.
To achieve this, IBM developed DeepQA software, which would analyze the given clue and potential answers. The system would then generate several possible responses and select the most probable one based on its analysis.
For Jeopardy, over 200 million pages of data were processed by Watson, which sifted through this enormous pool of information to find answers. Back in 2011, when Watson obliterated its human competitors, it had a commanding lead of more than $50,000, and the supercomputer was the size of an entire room.
Today, Watson has evolved into a powerful tool for information processing, compact enough to fit into the vegetable crisper of a refrigerator. After decades of remarkable progress and showcasing intellectual dominance, Ken Jennings captured the moment perfectly with his words: “I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords.”
3. The Financial Fallout of Destroying the Death Stars
In what could be considered one of the most detailed analyses of the subject, Zachary Feinstein took a deep dive into the galactic economy and the economic disaster caused by the destruction of two Death Stars. Feinstein published his findings in 2015 under the title “It’s a Trap: Emperor Palpatine’s Poison Pill.”
Feinstein concluded that the destruction of both Death Stars in the original Star Wars trilogy would trigger devastating economic repercussions if the Rebel Alliance wasn't equipped for any kind of financial compensation or recovery plan.
Based on earlier research, the estimated cost for materials and development in 2012 would have been a staggering $419 quintillion. While this number is mind-boggling, Feinstein points out that the galactic economy would likely be far larger than our own modest US economy.
Feinstein then constructs a scenario illustrating the consequences of the galactic economy following the destruction of two Death Stars. His argument suggests that the Empire likely took out a government loan to fund the creation of these massive planet-destroying machines.
Following the demise of Emperor Palpatine, the destruction of the Death Stars, and the Empire's collapse, the borrower would default on the $419 quintillion loan, leaving no one to pay it back. This would lead the economy into a severe deficit, unless the Rebel Alliance had made contingency plans for such a catastrophic event.
However, as Feinstein points out, the Rebel Alliance was probably unprepared for this scenario. As one of their top members, the roguish Han Solo, famously said: “Never tell me the odds.”
2. James Cameron's Descent to the Deepest Ocean Point
While Christopher Nolan’s movie journeyed through the vast, uncharted territories of space, James Cameron’s efforts have led science into the profound and uncharted depths of our own planet.
In March 2012, James Cameron, the visionary behind some of cinema’s most legendary films (Titanic, Avatar, The Terminator), teamed up with scientists to accomplish a solo dive to the deepest part of the Mariana Trench, known as Challenger Deep.
This marked the first time since the 1960s that anyone had ventured to these depths, and the first solo descent. The mission's goal was to investigate the mysterious, unexplored sections of the ocean and potentially retrieve any discovered life for scientific study.
So, how did the renowned director become the first and only person to reach the deepest part of the Mariana Trench? Cameron shared, “I sort of joke about this, but it’s more true than not that I made the movie because I wanted to do an expedition to the wreck of the Titanic, and I did explore it.”
For Cameron, there’s no distinction between being an explorer and a storyteller. His blockbuster films are simply the way he shares the awe-inspiring beauty of the natural world he’s discovered.
1. Scientific Insights from Interstellar
Films often demand a certain level of suspension of disbelief. This can range from adding dramatic effects, creating entirely imaginary worlds, or even tweaking the laws of physics to craft a more captivating narrative. Filmmakers are notorious for bending reality just a bit.
So it’s particularly intriguing when experts like astrophysicists praise a film for its accurate representation of reality. This is what makes Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar stand out from the crowd of high-budget films.
In order to depict black holes as accurately as possible, the visual effects team Double Negative collaborated with renowned physicists, including Kip Thorne, who had also worked on Carl Sagan’s film Contact.
Though the filmmakers confessed that they toned down certain features of black holes to avoid overwhelming the audience, the resulting depiction remains one of the most scientifically accurate. This representation has even sparked new discoveries in the study of black holes. By analyzing the film’s visual effects code, physicists have published scientific papers discussing the behaviors and structures of black holes.
+ The Time An Astronaut Called Into Car Talk
Car Talk was a popular radio program that aired from 1977 to 2012, hosted by the witty brothers Tom and Ray Magliozzi, who were known for their Boston accents. The show revolved around the brothers answering car-related queries from listeners across the country.
The show’s straightforward concept evolved into comedic brilliance as the brothers bickered and laughed about the unusual and often humorous car problems they were presented with. One particularly memorable call came in 1997 from a man named John in Houston.
‘Whenever I drive this car off the line, it starts up perfectly. Then, for the first two minutes, it runs extremely rough. After that, there’s a jolt, and it smooths out for about six and a half minutes, after which the engine dies.’
The brothers soon discovered that the caller wasn’t just any car owner, but rather John Grunsfeld, an astronaut aboard the space shuttle Atlantis. Amused, they concluded, “Not exactly our area of expertise.”
