Neil DeGrasse Tyson Calls Out Prometheus For Its Sketchy Science
Most science fiction fans are happy to shrug off technical
inaccuracies while enjoying a movie. But not if you're the
director of the Hayden Planetarium and a world-renowned
astrophysicist. Which is why Neil DeGrasse Tyson couldn't help
but question one of Prometheus' technical gaffes.  In the film
they travel 35 light years into space, which Charlize Theron's
character comments as being about half a billion miles from
Earth. But that estimate's a little off. Like, way off. As Tyson
points out, half a billion miles from Earth would only put you
just past Jupiter. In reality, a single light year equates to
5.88 trillion miles, not billion. So 35 light years would have
put the crew some 205.8 trillion miles away from the Earth. Well
past Jupiter, and well outside of our solar system.  So thanks
Neil for keeping an eye out for bad science in movies. The
world's a more well-informed place as long as you're keeping
watch. [Twitter - Neil DeGrasse Ty