June
4Sobering Signals From Outer Space
More than a few critics have noted that the end of the new “Indiana Jones” sequel bears a striking similarity to some of the fondly remembered moments of “ET” or “Close Encounters.” One wonders: How will this week’s celestial findings impact the sensibilities of Steven Spielberg and other filmmakers who hold a romantic image of outer space?On Mars, the Phoenix spacecraft is faithfully digging away but it’s no longer looking for intelligent life or even some pathetic bacteria. Mars is a miserable, frigid, lonely place and all the Phoenix wants is a trace of ice, presumably for an evening martini.
Meanwhile, the science section of the New York Times tells us that, after decades of effort, scientists have begun to despair of trying to explain the universe. All those random galaxies we peer at keep racing further apart through what the cosmologists like to call a sea of “dark energy.” Though denizens of earth try to eagerly probe their secrets, the various galaxies simply want to get out of town – gravitational pull be damned.
In view of this, those gently reassuring endings to sci-fi epics may soon be forgotten. There’ll be no more benign ETs; it’ll be up to the harried cinematographers to figure out how to make dark energy and black holes look enticing.
Subscribe to Peter Bart's Blog Feed
Post a comment