Science fiction becomes science fact

The line that distinguishes science fiction from fact waivers, often to the point where it fades away in places. In the novel The Earth To The Moon, Jules Vern depicted the Apollo 11 mission to the moon—an event that wouldn’t commence until 1969—over a century prior in 1865.

The underlying question behind the parallels connecting fact and fiction has been sustained for many years, and yet remains unanswered: does art imitate life or does life imitate art?

Do the inventions, events, or discoveries occur independently of or precisely because of the fictional works that predicted them to happen?

In search of an answer, the Lind-Ritzville High School (LRHS) pre-calculus class is beginning the project of reading, analyzing and discussing the science fiction novel 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke.

Thomas Pulliam, math teacher at LRHS, said, “This is the first year I have used [2001] in the classroom. Sometimes classes have been too large, or [claimed] ‘this is math not English’, so I wasn’t really able to try this .”

Pulliam explained that a large reason the pre-calculus class is reading the book is because it is an allegory, with morals revealed throughout the text, and includes topics about overcoming adversity.

Pulliam said, “When you have something you want but you don’t know how to get it, science fiction gives you possibilities on how to get it.”

Pulliam continues, “2001 does a good job of explaining things, even though the author didn’t know exactly how it worked.”

Many science fiction novels are written from the perspective of the past, comparing history’s expectations with present day life. Conversely, Andy Wehr’s 2014 novel The Martian (recently made into a major motion picture) does the opposite. Wehr uses today’s potential for technological expansion and puts it to use in a not so futuristic world to describe manned missions to Mars.

“What I like about The Martian is it is realistic. Sometimes science fiction can get so far out there that it’s hard to believe,” Jason Aldrich, science teacher at LRHS said. “The Martian is based on scientific fact… It was something very cerebral and believable…”

When Verne or Clarke were writing their novels, they likely were trying to paint a picture of the future so far-fetched it was revolutionary; The Martian shares the revolutionary component, but is not out of reach for today’s scientists.

Aldrich continued, “Star Wars is science fantasy, and that’s neat and entertaining but in terms of reality, it’s not really inspirational. [The Martian] is very inspirational because it encourages problem solving the main character goes through using his education <and> there’s also some things in there scientists haven’t created yet, those things that are right on the horizon, needing to be done—capable of being done.”

2001: A Space Odyssey was written in 1964 without men on the moon, but it provided inspiration to solutions throughout space flight history. The Martian is a modern example of how science fiction can mold, and influence, science fact in potentially guiding scientists to put man on Mars.

September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy stated, “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone…”

We are in the point in history when works like The Martian influence the future as it becomes science fact.

Aldrich concluded, “We need a JFK to say, ‘we’re going to Mars not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard’, and we need adventurous and hard working people who are willing to do that.”