Lecture about the biology in Avatar

[redpaintednavi]

A lecture with Dr. Misha Matz of the School of Biological Sciences about the biology in Avatar

Dr. Matz discusses science fiction and reality in the biology of AVATAR - YouTube

[Human No More]

>"planet"
Fail.

Also, wrong with a few of his assumptions about the Na'vi and other animals, or with the prolemuris.

Still the most intelligent person doing such an observation I've seen, although that's not saying a lot.

[auroraglacialis]

Should Large Moons Be Called 'Satellite Planets'? : Discovery News

The imaginary moon Pandora, orbiting a gas giant planet in the Alpha Centauri system, is a veritable paradise with lush forests and a rich diversity of life. If the film's writer/producer James Cameron had consulted with Pluto researcher Alan Stern he might have even introduced a new term to sci-fi audiences: Satellite Planet.

Sulu: "We're coming out of warp Captain, Gamma Draconis system dead ahead."

Kirk: "Spock, what's that planet on the forward view screen?"

Spock: "I don't know if it is a planet, Captain"

Kirk: "Spock, it's right there in front of us!"

2009-02-28-Enterprise_Tobias

Spock: "Before I can call it a planet captain I must conduct a survey of the entire Gamma Draconis system and assemble an ephemeris of the motions of all substellar bodies."

Kirk: (puzzled) "Explain, Spock"

Spock: "We need to know if this object on the view screen dynamically dominates its orbit."

Kirk: "What?!"

Spock: "Once a survey of all bodies in the systems is collected we'll need to run a dynamical simulation modeling planet migration and debris belt evolution over the past 4 billion years. I'll have an answer for you in 6.2 hours."

Kirk: "Spock, this is a planet! It's round, it has an atmosphere, oceans, I can even seen volcanoes! McCoy, what do you think?"

McCoy: "Damn it, Jim! I'm a doctor not a grammarian!"

Spock: "Respectfully Captain, If you review the Enterprise's memory banks, the science history log chronicles the definition for a planet set forth in by the International Astronomical Union in the Old World year 2006."

Kirk: "That document is nearly 300 years old! Hell, it was written when our ancestors hardly knew of any planets in the galaxy!"

Spock: "The planet definition has never been updated, it is still the reference guide as prescribed by Starfleet."

Kirk: "Unbelievable! Well if we can beam down onto it, it's a planet!"

Spock: "Excuse me Captain, I've just discovered that apparently the IAU definition only applies to our solar system... never mind."

[auroraglacialis]

Pingback from http://www.tree-of-souls.com/pandora...tml#post173893

about the part in the lecture on the evolution of tsaheylu

[Moco Loco]

Satellite Planet.

Man, FINALLY

[Human No More]

A description that actually makes sense. Of course, they're still a definition of moon by the size, but some are large - even in Earth's system, Titan is larger than Mercury.