logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
8m 58s

Tackling The Three-Body Problem

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Netflix has a big new show named after and inspired by a classic problem in astrophysics, 'The Three Body Problem', where predicting the course and orbits of three or more celestial bodies proves near impossible.

But how faithful is the Netflix show - and original novel - to the actual physics? Dr Anna Lisa Varri from the University of Edinburgh explains what we can and can't say about the complex and beautiful motions of planets, stars and moons, and brings a dose of scientific facts to science fiction.

Presenter: Kate Lamble Producer: Nathan Gower Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Editor: Richard Vadon

Up next
Oct 31
Europe's witch trials: The numbers behind the myth
Witches and witchcraft have captivated people for centuries. From the curse tablets of Ancient Greece to the witch of Wookey Hole, belief in magic has long been woven into human culture.But accusations of witchcraft have also had deadly consequences. Across Europe, tens of thousa ... Show More
8m 58s
Oct 24
Terence Tao: Maths ‘the canary in the coal mine’ on AI
Terence Tao is widely celebrated as the world’s greatest living mathematician.He was doing university-level maths at the age of 9, won Gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad at 13 - still the youngest person to have done that - and got his PHD at age 20.At 31 he won the ... Show More
10m 36s
Oct 17
Did Ukrainian strikes on Russian data centres stop disinformation bots?
Last week, Ukraine launched drone attacks against three data centres owned by Russian tech giant Yandex. After these attacks Yandex announced that they were struggling to maintain their services.This led to widespread claims that Russian disinformation campaign on social media ha ... Show More
8m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
Exploring the 3 Body Game & the Three-body problem theory explained
Hosts Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Jason Concepcion are putting on their VR headsets and stepping into the 3 Body Game. They are joined by 3 Body Problem’s VFX supervisors, Steve Kullback and Stefen Fangmeier, to discuss the creative process behind building the virtual reality ga ... Show More
46m 11s
Mar 2024
3 Body Problem
A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day. When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest th ... Show More
53m 5s
May 2024
114: Book vs. Big Screen: 3 Body Problem on Netflix
"But if science tells you that something's impossible, and it happens anyway, it means one of two things. Either the science is wrong, or it's a scam." Welcome back to another episode of Made You Think! Today, we're exploring the 3 Body Problem TV series on Netflix, inspired by C ... Show More
43m 37s
Mar 2024
Entering the 3 Body Problem world & China’s Cultural Revolution
Hosts Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Jason Concepcion dive headfirst into Netflix’s 3 Body Problem, as they share their reactions to the opening episodes and welcome their first guests. Jason sits down with 3 Body Problem’s award-winning showrunners Alexander Woo (True Blood), Davi ... Show More
51 m
Aug 2024
Things You Thought You Knew – Planet X
<p>What is the three body problem? How will the universe end? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice break down the case of Planet X, why the three body problem is unsolvable, and prevailing theories on how the universe will come to an end. </p><p>NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can ... Show More
36m 2s
Apr 2024
The science behind the Staircase Project & season recap with 3 Body Problem’s showrunners
Hosts Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Jason Concepcion shift their gaze to the stars, as the Staircase Project gears up to take flight. Rounding off this season of the 3 Body Podcast, Jason reconnects with showrunners David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, to discuss the impl ... Show More
52m 18s
Mar 2024
Coming Soon…The 3 Body Podcast
3 Body Problem arrives on Netflix on March 21st, and The 3 Body Podcast will be with you every step of the way to dissect and discuss this mind-boggling series. Hosts Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Jason Concepcion will talk to a range of people involved in the making of the show, ... Show More
2m 35s
Apr 2023
138 - Unsolvable Math Problems
tail spinning
1h 7m
Mar 2022
The multiverse, alien existence and fit astronauts
Today Dr Lucy and Dr Karl are joined by special guest astrophysicist Professor Geraint Lewis to answer all your questions from around the cosmos. Can you get moonburnt? Could we ever move at the speed of light? How did the big bang happen? What's on the other side of the universe ... Show More
38m 54s