What is the “three-body problem” in real science? The truth behind the Netflix series

The creators of ‘Game of Thrones’, D.B. Weiss and David Benioff, have returned with a new series after years of absence from television. Based on the novel of the same name by Liu Cixin, ‘3 Body Problem’, it is a loose adaptation that modifies some aspects of the original books. The title of this science fiction production refers to a concept in the physics of celestial bodies, a topic that the scientific advisor of the series has clarified in an article published by Netflix itself.

In the words of Dr. Matt Kenzie, associate professor of physics at the University of Cambridge, the three-body problem occurs when three nearby celestial objects (planets, stars, or suns) exert force on each other. Normally, when there are two objects it is easy to predict their rotation, but “As soon as you have three bodies or more that are all exerting a force on each other at the same time, then that system breaks down. If you have three bodies or more, then the orbit becomes chaotic.”

Chaotic rotations and impossible living conditions

In the series, planet San-Ti has a triple-star solar system, meaning orbits are highly unstable. In this way, when the planet revolves around one of the suns it lives a time of stability. On the other hand, when the other suns come into play, gravitational chaos occurs, living conditions become harsh and extreme. And to make things worse, “there’s no known solutions to the three-body problem,” at least not in reality.

In our solar system, the Sun attracts the Earth, which travels around it in orbit. As these are only two bodies, the rotation is stable, the same thing that happens with the Earth and the Moon - in this case, the satellite revolves around the planet. Therefore, the inhabitants of the blue planet will not suffer the chaos portrayed in the series, at least not this type of chaos.

‘3 Body Problem’ is now available on Netflix. In recent statements, both Benioff and Weiss have stated that they are not interested in returning to ‘Star Wars’. Both were hired by Lucasfilm to make a series of films, but the agreement was broken because the studio did not want to develop the idea they proposed. The reason why they do not want to return is because they believe that in a series as established as ‘Star Wars’ they will not be able to work with the creative freedom they seek.