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May 26, 2012

Actually, it IS possible to move an entire island

by Bob Sassone, posted May 13th 2008 5:19PM

LostSo in the most recent episode of Lost, Christian Shephard told Locke that the only way they can save the island from the invaders is if they, um, move it. Yeah, that's right, move the island. Thanks Doctor Shephard, I'll get right on that.

But viewers thinking that this was some crazy thing that could only happen on television and in the movies are...well, probably right. But in this Popular Mechanics article, the author of the book Physics of the Impossible says that it actually could be done. Michio Kaku says that it sounds like they're going to use the electromagnetic properties of the island and the Casmir Effect to "open a transferable wormhole to different points in time and space."

(Hold on a second while I go take two Advil.)

OK, I'm back. Kaku says that the Casmir Effect and transferable wormholes are real. It's possible that a black hole could be opened on the island, leading to other times and places. But because it's unstable, it's a one-way thing, which kinda sucks.

As for moving something really big like an entire island, that would involve quantum teleportation. I don't think I could explain that (it has to do with "science"), so just click on the link above and enjoy.

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Peter Lynn

Akbar, you usually don't get to read a book while the author's writing it. By the time it gets to you, the ending's already been written. (Unless you're reading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, of course, in which case the author dies without coming remotely close to wrapping up the story.)

May 14 2008 at 12:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Peter Lynn's comment
Akbar Fazil

Exactly.

Television is not (usually) produced like a novel. The closest things ever come is a solid outline (ala Babylon 5's 5 year arc) or major defining points are set but everything else has room for flexibility in the story.

However the belief that "they are making it up as they go along" is ridiculous. Every story no matter what medium it is in is "made up as the go along."

May 14 2008 at 11:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jersey Exile

As a writer I can tell you that most of the time I have no clue as to how my stories or novels are going to end. Even if I do plot them out in advance meticulously, something cool will occur to me in midstream and lead me to a completely different and often much better conclusion than I had originally plotted.

Babylon 5's much-lauded 5 year arc has done more damage than good to appreciation of quality sci-fi television, IMHO, as fanboys now use whether a show's writers have it all planned out in advance or not as the ultimate litmus test of quality. B5 came into existence during a particularly charmed time for genre television, where runs of at least five years were banked on as a given (or seven in the case of ST:TNG shows), whereas Lost could very well have had its plug pulled at the end of the first year.

That the Lost writers can craft a quality show with intricate plotting amid such constant uncertainty is a lot more impressive to me than sticking to a 5-year plan. Even after an extended hiatus they managed to pull me back in, which is more than I can say about the Sopranos.

May 16 2008 at 3:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chip Douglas

I am still looking for someone to tell me which episode Our good Dr. Hanso mentions the Casmir Effect regarding which Station. There are Clues, Easter Eggs, and Star Wars references littered throughout this epic story. Is it possible that this small detail was not discovered during the original episode? (In which episode was the Orchid Station film veiwed?) I think we all may have missed thisreference and got wrapped around the axle about the "Lost Experience" and the five other podcasts we listen to. "Only fools are bound by time and space!"

May 13 2008 at 11:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Chip Douglas's comment
Akbar Fazil

A. It wasn't Dr. Hanso. It was Dr Candle (or what ever name he goes by at the time)
B. It wasn't ever mentioned in an episode.
C. It was mentioned in the Orchid orientation film that was played at the 2007 comic con and shown as a bonus feature on the season 3 DVD set.
http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/Orchid_Orientation_Film

May 14 2008 at 12:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bash

People... go watch "Donny Darko" and you'll know what this is all about.

I so hated "Flashes before your eyes" because it was a whole movie crammed into a single episode and such a total ripoff of "Donny Darko".

It seems they will now get the "broken off engine/wormhole" idea from the movie and put it into "Lost". I don't know whether I should call that "neat" or not I'll have to see the idea in action first.

I could explain the movie here but I was told that I am a total ass for spoiling movies and tv episodes everywhere.

This blog needs spoiler-tags...

May 13 2008 at 10:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Bash's comment
Akbar Fazil

Just to let you know... Donnie Darko (which is a highly flawed film once you get past its initial coolness) was not the first to deal with time looping and the such the way it did.

May 14 2008 at 6:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
james

This is probably how they will move the island, but I agree with Frank Wrench. More than likely it will be "something" that happens with only a minor amount of exposition.

May 13 2008 at 9:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ian

Screw that! THIS is how you move an island: http://digg.com/travel_places/UPDATE_New_Crazy_Floating_Man_Made_Island_Completed_PICS

May 13 2008 at 8:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
DK

I don't think the Lost writers will reference something like that on the show at least. They'll probably just have Ben and Locke go to some new hatch where Locke presses a button and shit goes crazay! I mean, I really like it more when the answer to something is "It's just weird", like Alpert's little game last episode, rather than "the electromagnetic radiation, coupled with the Casimir effect produces...". I don't know, the episodes seem better when weird, crazy stuff happens rather than nice little scientifically sound answers. I guess I'm more of a "Man of Faith" than a "Man of Science".

May 13 2008 at 7:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jonathan

well again, werent their *spoilers* that season 4 was getting off, season 5 was oh shit we should go back, and season 6 is getting back.

plus, kate could talk to sawyer (assuming that the *spoiler* is true that locke and sawyer stay on). when they were off the island, and jack would always try to crash onto it again with his bearded craziness.

i think this wont happen at all, just something to fuck with us.

May 13 2008 at 6:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sam

And we all believe that the writers of Lost actually knew all of this going in, right?

May 13 2008 at 6:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
4 replies to Sam's comment

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