What Project Hail Mary gets WRONG: Scientist pinpoints the biggest flaws in Ryan Gosling's new sci-fi blockbuster - but says the portrayal of Rocky the alien IS accurate
A scientist has revealed exactly what Project Hail Mary gets wrong about astrophysics – as well as the parts of the blockbuster that are bang on.Based on the bestselling sci-fi novel by Andy Weir, the movie stars Ryan Gosling as teacher-turned-astronaut, Ryland Grace, who is sent into space to save the Earth after the sun starts dimming. During his time in space, Grace forms an unlikely friendship with an alien called Rocky, who proves to be a vital part of the Earth-saving mission. While the movie has rocketed to the top of the box office this week, Dr Jacqueline McCleary, an observational cosmologist at Northeastern University, says it has several flaws. The multi-year induced coma that Grace is put into as he travels the 11.7 light-years to nearby star, Tau Ceti, would give him brain damage, she points out. Meanwhile, the idea that a so-called 'astrophage' could absorb sunlight or even survive the sun's atmosphere is 'a stretch,' she adds. However, Dr McCleary surprisingly says that the portrayal of the alien is somewhat accurate. 'This story in particular falls on the line of close enough to be enjoyable and, more importantly, self-consistent. It's a grammar unto itself, but it's legible,' Dr McCleary said. Based on the bestselling sci–fi novel by Andy Weird, the movie stars Ryan Gosling as teacher-turned-astronaut, Ryland Grace, who is sent into space to save the Earth after the sun starts dimmingWhat Project Hail Mary gets wrong1. The idea that 'astrophages' could be causing the sun to dimIt's central to the plot, but the idea that 'astrophages' could be causing the sun to dim is described by Dr McCleary as 'a stretch'. These microorganism-like creatures are said to absorb sunlight – a behaviour based on how microbes on Earth absorb sunlight and use it for energy. However, Dr McCleary points out a crucial 'mismatch'. 'There's orders of magnitude mismatch between what a microbe could store… and what the sun actually puts out in terms of energy,' Dr McCleary explained. Every second, the sun emits 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 joules of energy – millions of times more than the energy used by all of Earth over the course of an entire year!What's more, the astrophages would need to stay alive in the sun's atmosphere which is incredibly hot, reaching around 2.7million degrees Celcius. To reach Tau Ceti – a star almost 12 light-years away that astrophages have been unable to dim – Grace and his two colleagues are put into an induced comaWhat will aliens sound like? If aliens evolved on a planet with air, then sound is a very good means of communication.That means aliens from Earth-like worlds would likely have some form of spoken language.How this language sounds will depend on their physiology, but it may not be that different from the variety of sounds we hear from life on Earth.However, scientists also point out that aliens may not use sound to communicate. They may use chemical pheromones or light to communicate instead. For comparison, here on Earth, the highest temperature that any microbe can withstand is just 122°C.2. The multi-year induced coma that Grace is put underTo reach Tau Ceti – a star almost 12 light–years away that astrophages have been unable to dim – Grace and his two colleagues are put into induced comas. Sadly, this proves fatal for the other two astronauts, while Grace has memory loss when he eventually wakes up. As Dr McClearly points out, multi-year induced comas are very dangerous, and Grace's memory loss would likely be more severe brain damage.On Earth, most induced comas last days or weeks. Some patients have woken up after decades – including Munira Abdulla, who regained consciousness after 27 years in a coma following a car crash. However, in general, comas lasting beyond four weeks are considered dangerous, and recovery is extremely rare. It's central to the plot, but the idea that 'astrophages' could be causing the sun to dim is described by Dr McCleary as 'a stretch'What Project Hail Mary gets right1. What Rocky the alien looks likeAs far-fetched as it sounds, the film's depiction of Rocky the alien as a rocky, spider–like creature might be accurate – particularly compared to aliens in other sci–fi blockbusters, according to Dr McLeary. She explained: 'People are now starting to talk about sentient plasmas as a potential lifeform. 'The notion of a completely different biology, completely different body chemistry adapted to different conditions is very clever.'2. What Rocky the alien sounds likeIn Star Wars, most species use Galactic Basic as a shared language, represented as English in the films. In contrast, Rocky speaks in strange, musical-sounding tones, with Grace forced to slowly piece together a translator to communicate with the alien. As far-fetched as it sounds, the film's depiction of Rocky the alien as a rocky, spider–like creature might be accurate according to Dr McLeary The spacecraft that Grace travels in is based on 'totally conventional, well–accepted physics', says Dr McClearyAccording to the experts, the Project Hail Mary depiction is likely more accurate. Speaking to the Daily Mail after the recent release of the Disclosure Day trailer, scientists explained that depending on where they come from, aliens will probably sound very different to humans.Mia Belle Parkinson, a PhD candidate at the UK Centre for Astrobiology, told Daily Mail: 'It's easy to think about intelligent alien beings that look and sound like us. 'However, this would not be the case at all. What if these beings evolved on a world completely dissimilar to ours?'3. The design of the spacecraftThe spacecraft that Grace travels aboard features a propulsion system in the back like a regular rocket, and a front half that can detach and spin. This spin creates gravity, allowing Grace to live and work in a 'normal' environment. In the real world, a spacecraft like this hasn't been built yet – but that's not to say it's not plausible. Dr McLeary explains that the design is based on 'totally conventional, well–accepted physics'. The most scientifically accurate sci-fi movies, according to NASA Gattaca (1997)Contact (1997)Metropolis (1927)The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) Woman in the Moon (1929)The Thing from Another World (1951) Jurassic Park (1993)
