Tackling The Three-Body Problem
Explaining the real life physics problem at the heart of Netflix's new show.
Netflix has a big new show named after and inspired by a classic problem in astrophysics, 'The Three Body Problem', where predicting the course and orbits of three or more celestial bodies proves near impossible.
But how faithful is the Netflix show - and original novel - to the actual physics?
Dr Anna Lisa Varri from the University of Edinburgh explains what we can and can't say about the complex and beautiful motions of planets, stars and moons, and brings a dose of scientific facts to science fiction.
Presenter: Kate Lamble
Producer: Nathan Gower
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot
Editor: Richard Vadon
(UIG/Science Photo Library/ Credit: Getty images)
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Broadcasts
- Sat 13 Apr 202404:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
- Sat 13 Apr 202410:50GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & Europe and the Middle East only
- Sat 13 Apr 202415:50GMTBBC World Service News Internet
- Sun 14 Apr 202408:50GMTBBC World Service West and Central Africa
- Sun 14 Apr 202410:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
- Sun 14 Apr 202422:50GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sun 14 Apr 202423:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
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