Science Fiction: Promoting an Advance in Scientific Interest?

"Once you stop dismissing something as unattainable, then you start working on its development."

The exploration of space has captured imaginations for centuries-- ranging from references in Chinese Myths to From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne-- and I cannot see it waning in the near future.  Space has always been the greatest unknown, the last frontier.  It captures the imagination of some and the scientific interest in others.


In the nanotech blog I explored the usefulness and future of carbon nanotubes.  One possible use is for the creation of a space elevator.  A space elevator is essentially a taught cable strung counterweight placed in a geosynchronous orbit and Earth.  A simple example can be seen below:

"A space elevator is essentially a long cable extending from our planet's surface into space with its center of mass at geostationary Earth orbit (GEO), 35,786 km in altitude. Electromagnetic vehicles traveling along the cable could serve as a mass transportation system for moving people, payloads, and power between Earth and space." (NASA)


The interesting thing about space elevators is the fact that the idea preceded the science.  By several decades.  Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in 1895, Yuri Artsutanov in 1960, John Isaacs in 1966, Jerome Pearson in 1975, and Arthur C. Clarke in 1979 all presented ideas remarkably similar to the current imagining of a space elevator (NASA).  It wasn't until the discovery of carbon nanotubes in 1991 by Sumio Iijima that the science behind the space elevator came to fruition.  Carbon nanotubes were the last piece to the scientific puzzle.


This relationship between science fiction and (I know this is cliche but) science fact is an intriguing one.  Science fiction is often regarded as the intangible while science is definitively tangible.  In this way, science fiction can act as a "mediator" between the masses and scientists.  It presents scientific ideals in a palatable manner.  I can see this directly affecting the two cultures model.  The two cultures model assumes that the public and the sciences exist as two entirely separate beings with very little information being exchanged.  I see science fiction blurring the line between the two, showing the public the exciting potential behind current sciences.  This, in turn, interests new generations in becoming actively involved in the future of science, promoting bidirectional communication.  Bidirectional communication is active and mutual communication between the sciences and the public.  If the public has been introduced to scientific ideals in the form of literature (books, movies, videogames, etc.) they will be more likely to show interest or be involved in the scientific process in the future.  Science fiction is affecting the social enterprise of science.  Science as a social enterprise is the fact that social behaviors shape the direction of scientific discoveries.  If the public is interested in the possible outcomes of the exploration of space, science will be inevitably be directed toward that path.  Each generation of the public raised on science fiction (as I was with Star Wars and the Sci-Fi channel) will guide the masses toward an interest in the scientific discoveries, propagating an interest in science.  The popularization of science fiction allowed for scientific interest to move away from the upper organ (head) and move toward the lower organs (heart and gut).  The Four Organ Theory of Communication is the ability for reasoning to be motivated by different portions of connection to a topic--the head is logic, the heart is emotion, the gut is feelings, and the lower organs are "carnal desires."  By tying the idea of space exploration in emotions (the heart and the gut), science fiction has placed a strong connection between public interest and the advancement of scientific knowledge.


Another intriguing aspect is the cost of operating a space elevator.  While the initial cost would be huge, approximately $20 billion for a privately funded one, the running cost would be greatly reduced.  Michio Kaku (a famous theoretical physicist) does a superb job of both explaining the cost of launching a person into space using a standard rocket and the basic idea behind the space elevator:

And Neil deGrasse Tyson explaining space elevators:

One of the biggest problems with the exploration of space is the cost.  Today, it costs approximately $22,000 per kilogram to put something into space.  With a space elevator, this cost could be reduced to a meager $17,700 per 12,000 kg trip (~$1.5 per kilogram) (NASA).  This price reduction would both greatly increase the accessibility to space and diminish the necessity for high levels of government involvement in the exploration of space.  However viable space travel may be in the future, it is imperative that we communicate the risk.  Scientists must choose to share the risks behind each new discovery, as to not feed the cycle of mistrust.  The cycle of mistrust is the idea that the public does not trust the scientists to inform them of new scientific discoveries which, in turn, does not allow the scientists to trust the public with new information pertaining to a discovery.  I found some applets that easily show the risk behind a potential failure of a space elevator:


Elevator that breaks at the anchor.
Elevator that breaks 25% of the way up.
Elevator that breaks 50% of the way up.
Elevator that breaks 75% of the way up.
Elevator that breaks at the counterweight.


Each of these scenarios present a different potential disaster but the fact that they were communicated in an easy to understand medium (videos) helps the public understand the intrinsic dangers of such a new technology. If scientists inform the public of the potential for disaster (without creating a panic), they will build trust.  The general populace will see scientists as informative instead of distant and allow the continuing advancement of science.  


Science fiction is the middle ground between scientists and the public, creating the interest in scientific ideals without encumbering the public without inhibiting the scientists.  Science fiction often fosters an interest interest in future scientific discoveries while allowing for the imagination that exists in the public sector.  It is a brilliant merger of creativity and scientific discovery, allowing for science and imagination to exist simultaneously outside of the limitations of either mindset.


References:


INFINITY BOUND. (08 Sept 2009). "Space Elevator: Going up? Way way up." Retrieved 21 Nov 2011, from:  http://infinitybound.com/index.php/2009/09/08/space-elevator-materials-are-the-key/

Havely, Joe. (15 Oct 2003).  "China's Ming Dynasty astronaut." Retrieved 21 Nov 2011, from: http://articles.cnn.com/2003-09-30/tech/china.wanhu_1_astronaut-yang-liwei-spacecraft-history-making-flight?_s=PM:TECH

O'Leary, Beth Laura. (2009). "Handbook of space engineering, archaeology, and heritage."
Retrieved 21 Nov 2011, from: http://books.google.com/books?id=dTwIDun4MroC&pg=PA889&lpg=PA889&dq=1800s+space+travel+ideas&source=bl&ots=PS6r3KN70u&sig=6EWXHhCFUCsmHbuVbN9Ms8CtsY8&hl=en&ei=IWXMTo-NMPOgsQLr-5XADg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CB8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=1800s%20space%20travel%20ideas&f=false 

Wikipedia. "The Fountains of Paradise." Retrieved 21 Nov 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fountains_of_Paradise

NATURE. (07 Nov 1991). "Helical microtubules of graphitic carbon." Retrieved 21 Nov 2011, from: "http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v354/n6348/abs/354056a0.html

NASA Science. (7 Sept 2000). "Audacious & Outrageous: Space Elevators." Retrieved 21 Nov 2011, from: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast07sep_1/

Wikipedia. "Space elevator economics." Retrieved 21 Nov 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_elevator_economics