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Submission + - How realistic is the science in Project Hail Mary? (science.org)

sciencehabit writes: Project Hail Mary, in theaters this week, follows an unlikely hero on a high-stakes journey to save humanity. Adapted from the book by Andy Weir, the film blends interstellar adventure with real-world science—an approach that sets it apart from many recent sci-fi blockbusters. In the movie, Ryan Gosling plays Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher–turned–astronaut who was ostracized from the scientific community for his belief that life could exist without water.

The premise may sound far-fetched, but the film grounds its story in disciplines ranging from astrophysics to microbiology, raising an intriguing question: Just how realistic is the science behind it? To find out, Science spoke with Wendy Freedman, an astronomer at the University of Chicago who studies the evolution of the universe. Last year, Freedman won a National Medal of Science and was one of Time magazine’s world’s 100 most influential people. She talked about the viability of non-water-based life, and the scenes that made her nerd out.

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How realistic is the science in Project Hail Mary?

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