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The Science and Physics of Back To the Future

overthinkingit writes "A scientist has tried to apply serious math and physics, including the Law of Cosines, to analyze how the DeLorean in Back to the Future travels through both Time AND Space: 'in order to pull off the kind of time travel we see in the Back To The Future trilogy — the kind where the traveler is transposed in time, but remains stationary in the same relative position to where he/she left — the DeLorean would have to be an outstanding space ship, in addition to its already laudable work as a time-ship. According to Doc Brown's stopwatch, Einstein the dog travels precisely one minute into the future on this first jump, arriving, relative to their frame of reference, at the same location he left. But how far has this reference frame itself traveled during that one minute?'"

19 of 436 comments (clear)

  1. Does it explain by oodaloop · · Score: 5, Funny

    how it leaves tracks of fire on asphalt? Or in the air? Never quite understood that part. The rest of the movie, OTOH, makes perfect sense.

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    1. Re:Does it explain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Ironically Doc Brown knew his machine could travel through time, yet was surprised the car was cold.

      He would have been more surprised if Einstein was turned inside out in the front seat.

  2. stasis field food storage by frovingslosh · · Score: 4, Funny

    This explains the problem that I have trying to use a stasis field in place of a refrigerator. Every time that I shut down the field the food comes flying out of it real fast! (but fresh)

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    1. Re:stasis field food storage by blueZ3 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Reminds me of my favorite children's book (that didn't make it): The Magical World Inside the Abandoned Refrigerator.

      Of course I also liked:

      Eggs, Toilet Paper, and Your School
      Microwaves and Hamsters: An I Can Do It! Book
      Daddy Drinks Because You Cry
      Curious George and the Electric Fence

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    2. Re:stasis field food storage by kre.86 · · Score: 3, Funny

      not to mention the technical problems involved with trying to a get a fridge up to 88mph

  3. Extra Dimensions by awitod · · Score: 5, Funny

    What you fail to grasp is that the 7th dimension works like quantum sticky tape to hold you in place relative to the things around you as you travel through time. So, you don't really need a space ship because of the relativistic affects of the items around you relative to each other pulling you along. Plus there's the whole inertia thing which requires you to go 88 miles an hour exactly so you always wind up where you started whether you go forward or backward. Try it yourself by drawing two 8's. On is for space space and the other one is for time space.

    Also, don't forget that the velocity has to be in miles per hour, because the metric system is gay.

    DUH!

  4. DeLorian problems by EmbeddedJanitor · · Score: 5, Funny

    The fire was probably due to a well known fact that DeLorians leaked fuel and oil badly. That's why they quit making them.

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    1. Re:DeLorian problems by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      The fire was probably due to a well known fact that DeLorians leaked fuel and oil badly. That's why they quit making them.

      Why don't the British make computers?

      Because they haven't figured out how to make them leak oil yet.

      I'm sure you'll get a set of complimentary tightening wrenches with them when they do though.

    2. Re:DeLorian problems by yabos · · Score: 3, Funny

      bollocks

    3. Re:DeLorian problems by Mister_Stoopid · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think that, if I had a time machine, I could come up with a more lucrative business plan than smuggling drugs.

  5. Re:cosines by Samschnooks · · Score: 3, Funny

    Um, you really don't want to go off on a tangent because the mods will mark you off-topic. I can see the sines in your post of that happening.

  6. Aether Drag by argent · · Score: 3, Funny

    Since Professor Brown is obviously using Steampunk technology (look at the ending to the final BTTF), it seems clear to me that the solution to this problem is that the Time Machine is carried along in the Earth's "Aether Drag", the distorting effect that any large mass has on the Luminiferous Aether!

  7. Re:1.21 Jigawatts by Drakkenmensch · · Score: 5, Funny

    1.21 Jigawatts: the energy output of a man dancing a 1.21 minute jig. So next time you jig, be very careful to dance either more or less than 1.21 minute, lest you suddenly go back in time to the 1950s where your dad is a spineless wimp.

  8. Re:Gee.. seems I need a ... by BobSixtyFour · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wrong, as you can CLEARLY see, his server doesn't have the 1.21 Jigawatts necessary to jump OVER the slashdot effect and into your browser.

  9. Re:It's really quite simple by gmuslera · · Score: 4, Funny

    Beware... you could end in "All you zombies" version of RAHeinlein time travel, and you will enjoy twice meeting with your mother.

  10. Don't ask me! by mangu · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ask this guy instead.

  11. Re:It's really quite simple by MaskedSlacker · · Score: 5, Funny

    And by meeting, he means fucking.

  12. Re:link by veganboyjosh · · Score: 5, Funny

    I don't see the option for the flux capacitor. Link for that?

  13. Re:It's really quite simple by Chris+Burke · · Score: 5, Funny

    Which is redundant when talking about the works of Heinlein.

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