PROMETHEUS - secrets!

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interesting read, thanks for posting this

Defintely a good tie-in to ALIEN!!! plus like the black 'goo stuf. fits with what the artice on this site says x

Hi all, I read the comments on this and there is a v good one by a SCI FI writer... Check it out... A great article Benjii. As a science fiction writer I must say that inaccuracies are only relevant to the science and not relevant in regard to story telling, especially given how you have to suspend your disbelief with much of the gadgets in the film, nay, most science fiction movies. I tend not to pay much emphasis on these quibbles since they don’t impinge on the story telling since the film maker obviously wants the audience to take heed of the humanity of the story which is indeed the focus of much science fiction, where Prometheus in particular functions more as a allegorical cautionary tale. The scientific inaccuracies only become an issue if you value hard sci-fi higher than medium and soft, which is where Prometheus is firmly nestled between. If the filmmakers weren’t paying emphasis on the humanity and allegorical arc then clearly they would of spent more time on expository details that are more needless in the soft and medium sci-fi categories. So to invoke any inaccuracies in Prometheus in order to diminish its value or to deem the story ‘flawed’ due to those inaccuracies is unwarranted. So in many cases we’re left with that ‘Future’ magic again but I find that to be the imaginative charm with softer more fantastical science fiction, this was never going to be ‘Hard’ science fiction so I find the sheer level of censorious scrutiny applied to the film somewhat pointless. If you read enough science-fiction literature, especially the more ‘fantastic’ sci-fi, the more you broaden your interpretation past what immediately panders to the surface. It’s just hermeneutics. As for Milburn attempting to pet the hammerpede, remember he was wearing a suit, but not just any suit, according to Weyland Industries it’s quite an advanced suit; a “Significantly upgraded space suit (which) includes a variety of Weyland patented features, such as cadmium exo-skeleton; info display with mission details; vitals: environmental stats and more. Used in exploration, reconnaissance and for tactical manoeuvrability in the field. Nano-reinforced composite helmet allows a 320° rotational field of vision with info display of vital stats, environmental conditions, communications systems and data analysis. Cadmium exoskeleton provides safety and stability over rough terrain. Iridium-coated, laser resistant light armor optional.” Milburn it seems had more than enough peace of mind, especially since the hammerpede displayed no visible mandibles or incisors so, sure, he felt cocky enough. Many experts in the field approach animals with no protection what so ever hence why Milburn was acting so romantic with it and reassured Fifeild ‘It’s alright’. C’mon, the damn thing looked less threatening than a ferret and since the biology of the creature operates in the realm of the ‘surreal’ he had no way of knowing that it had acid for blood. It was just one of the many demonstrations of hubris in the film. It’s clear that it wasn’t the first time he’d ever encountered extraterrestrial life forms before especially when Weyland had established colonies by that point. Space travel as a pedestrian affair has always been a common trope in sci-fi afterall. Again, it’s the ‘Humanity’ that is the point as far as I see it. As far as the flamethrowers not being able to function in an atmosphere of heavy CO2, well, take in regard again that Weyland had already terraformed numerous planets by that point, perhaps they patented a flamethrower that could function in such an environment? It is a misconception that CO2 will always extinguish fires. It contains oxygen, however the carbon oxygen double bond requires too much energy to break. Unless it is a magnesium fire. CO2 will not put out a magnesium fire. Since the movie doesn’t have to distract us away with a lecture on how the flamethrower would function (remember the fire is symbolic of the myth of Prometheus so…) we could just as easily give the benefit of the doubt, which isn’t that ludicrous, especially given that we’re just watching fiction in the first place. Otherwise my best bet is Fluorine; which is the strongest known elemental oxidizer-much stronger than oxygen where co2 only serves as fuel. How can I be so sure? Well, to quote a confidential national defence document detailing chemical ignition sources for flame throwers http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a801460.pdf – “Fluorine or fluorinating agents react violently with saturated hydrocarbons, yet are noninflammable and stable when properly contained. If these materials were used as Ignition agents they could be stored safely in the flamethrower away from the fuel. When mixed at the nozzle of the gun even with unfortified fuel, they would react with sufficient energy to cause Ignition.” All that’s necessary for fire is an oxidizing agent, meaning an element that easily takes electrons from other atoms. F2 can cause substances like steel or glass to instantly burst into flame. And those flames are virtually impossible to put out. And before you point out how they would have put out the flames from Holloway’s and Fifield’s carcasses, according to this article http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/podcast/interactive_periodic_table_transcripts/fluorine.asp – “…when accidents do happen, space travellers can rely on fluorocarbon-based fire extinguishers to put the flames out.” I have no doubt one of the filmmakers would have consulted an expert with all this, why automatically assume that they didn’t? While some may scoff at fan-boy’s filling in otherwise inconsequential technical blanks, it makes a fictional world all the more participatory; they feel more a part of their beloved franchise Universe and that’s escapism for you, which I prefer over being just a unreceptive cinemagoer which we are for most films. All in all I loved this film, it was spectacular, mythological, philosophical, absurd, gross, enigmatic and exciting. It wasn’t a disappointment for me at all, it just left me wanting more and frankly I’d rather have more to come than have such a long build up amount to just everything being all neat and tied up. The fact that the viral campaign is still continuing has me even more excited than I was before. Bring on the next one!

Yeah agreed. Sums up a lot of mine too. I agree with him.