3 Body Problem

In Episode 16 of Dystopian Fiction Has Been Moved to Current Affairs, Clare Coombe and Masha Yakovleva are discussing the mind-bending physics-filled Netflix Drama, 3 Body Problem.

In this episode, we look at the depiction of Mao's China and the Cultural Revolution, and the Chinese novel on which the show is based. We mention articles from The Guardian, New York Times, and Radio Free Asia.

We discuss the likelihood of extra-terrestrial life and communicating across the universe, including the Fermi Paradox and everything Clare knows about science from The Infinite Monkey Cage podcast.

We've done our very best to tackle the science and explain the titular 3 body problem, relying a bit on this Netflix article. We touch on theoretical physics, applied physics, cryonics, nano-technology, and the potential of VR.

Perhaps most importantly in our discussions, we consider the ethics and procedures behind planetary defence and interstellar communications, the nature of being human, the metaphors for the climate crisis, and the refugee vs colonizer narratives.

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