As a space enthusiast and someone who has spent countless hours gazing at the stars, I must say that The Martian is undeniably an engaging and captivating film. However, as a connoisseur of cosmic accuracy, I find myself slightly disappointed by some of the movie’s scientific liberties.
According to the novel titled “The Martian” penned by Andy Weir, the movie of the same name, starring Matt Damon, blends elements of science fiction, action, drama, and humor. Directed by Ridley Scott, “The Martian” showcases Damon as Dr. Mark Watney, a scientist embarking on a Mars mission. Following a storm on Mars, Watney finds himself abandoned, isolated, and fighting to live.
In “The Martian,” Andy Weir intentionally incorporated elements of realism when writing the story. For instance, the character Watney uses his scientific knowledge to create water, cultivate potatoes, and communicate with Earth. However, despite being a Ridley Scott film known for its accuracy, The Martian contains some inconsistencies – these discrepancies were intentional decisions made by both the director and author to enhance viewer enjoyment, similar to how certain flaws were present in Scott’s “Napoleon.
The Atmosphere of Mars Is Thin, Making The Martian’s Wind Storm Very Different From What Occurs
Due to the significantly lower atmospheric pressure on Mars compared to Earth, it’s challenging to imagine what a storm on Mars might feel like. On Earth, a strong dust storm wouldn’t have enough force to knock over equipment or people, but on Mars, even the strongest wind gusts would barely register as a breeze here. This poses significant problems for the storyline of “The Martian,” where the main character becomes stranded due to a storm. In actuality, the largest winds on Mars would be much weaker than the breezes we experience on Earth.
On Mars, substantial dust storms occur frequently, with these events being the largest in our solar system. These storms predominantly happen during the Martian summer and spring. As explained by NASA scientist Michael Smith, “Each year, some moderately large dust storms arise on Mars, covering areas as vast as continents and persisting for several weeks.
In my view, when it comes to Andy Weir’s novel, The Martian, the dust storms served primarily as a narrative tool rather than a realistic representation. As Weir himself put it in 2014, “The truth is, most people aren’t familiar with how Martian dust storms actually behave, and it’s not like being sandblasted. However, for dramatic effect, I chose to exaggerate a bit… I admit I’m a storyteller at heart, and I sometimes make concessions like this.
Gravity on Mars Is Nothing Like What Is Shown in The Martian
In making “The Martian,” Ridley Scott decided to disregard the fact that the gravitational pull on Mars is approximately 60% stronger than on Earth. When questioned about this before the movie’s release in 2015, Scott and Matt Damon jointly acknowledged that it was challenging to accurately depict the difference in gravity between Mars and Earth visually on screen. As Ryan Bradley from Popular Mechanics pointed out:
In simpler terms, films haven’t found an effective method yet to depict 40% gravity on screen, and that’s less appealing than the zero gravity we often see in movies. As a result, they choose to disregard it.
In the movie “The Martian,” the inaccurate representation of gravity on Mars affects various aspects that viewers observe. The most noticeable is how the astronauts appear to walk, which deviates from actual conditions due to Mars’ weaker gravitational pull. However, in reality, the effort required by the astronauts while climbing, moving around, or performing tasks would be significantly less on Mars compared to Earth.
Radiation Levels and Water Making in The Martian Are Problematic
In a simpler and more conversational style, the statement could be rephrased as follows:
According to aerospace engineer Robert Zubron, the method Matt Damon employs to create water using rocket fuel is not absolutely crucial, as there’s already water on Mars. Extracting it directly from the soil would be more feasible, as per Zubron’s statement to The Guardian. This idea is backed by science, as NASA scientists asserted in 2015 that Mars’ surface was once covered by vast oceans. For planetary scientist John Bridges, this suggests that Mars was potentially habitable in the past and could become so again.
In a different phrasing, Zubrin had an additional issue with the portrayal of NASA disclosing information to the public in “The Martian”. He wasn’t taken aback by the idea that the astronauts might be kept in the dark (though he didn’t endorse this practice), but he felt it would be improbable given today’s communication capabilities. Given that the public was informed about Mark Watney’s predicament, he believed the astronauts would probably have learned about the situation from their families or loved ones.
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2024-10-07 04:03