Description
The current Science-Fiction blockbuster “Dune” provides a testbed for scientific plausibility of a wide range of futuristic concepts. Can giant sandworms exist? How large can worms get on Earth? What is folding space? Can an exoplanet model validate Arrakis climate? Can we construct a pain box, a Holtzman personal shield or a weirding module using today’s technology? Can savant syndrome, neuroplasticity and/or brain-enhancement techniques explain Mentats (human computers)? Which concepts make sense with present understanding, which violate the laws of physics/biology, and which lie in a grey area that advanced science/technology might make possible? The goal of this class is to learn how to better evaluate futuristic/science-fictional concepts from the viewpoint of modern science.
