Evacuate Earth
| Evacuate Earth | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Futurism |
| Written by | Bill McClane |
| Directed by | Ted Schillinger |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Bruce David Klein |
| Producer(s) | Bill McClane |
| Editor(s) |
Will Gardiner Jake Keene |
| Cinematography | Vitaly Bokser |
| Camera setup | Single-camera setup |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Atlas Media Corp. |
| Release | |
| Original network | National Geographic Channel |
| Original release | December 2, 2012 |
| External links | |
| National Geographic Channel: Evacuate Earth | |
Evacuate Earth is a National Geographic Channel documentary that portrays the hypothetical scenario of humans evacuating the planet Earth before it is destroyed by a rogue neutron star. The documentary details the technical and social complications of building a generation ship to save humanity and other Earth organisms by relocating to a planet in another solar system.
Premise
The documentary proposes a thought experiment in which a neutron star approaches Earth. Constant meteor storms are the first warning sign, and dramatic sequences depict widespread destruction and the deaths of thousands of people. Given seventy-five years to prepare, human society radically shifts toward the evacuation of Earth. The propulsion system for the spacecraft is the first problem to be addressed. In a dramatic sequence, the world's leading experts debate the benefits and drawbacks of various methods. Conventional rockets are too slow, and antimatter engines are too unstable; they eventually settle on nuclear pulse propulsion, as originally suggested by Project Orion. The world's engineers, scientists, and manufacturing workers begun work at a new site dubbed Starship City. Interviewed experts propose that fatalism may drive some people to attempt to sabotage production, and, in a dramatic sequence, terrorists strike the city, though they are destroyed by a hidden minefield.
Who is to be evacuated is another major issue. Although diversity is respected, any selected individual would have to be genetically hardy and not predisposed toward disease. In dramatic sequences, a second ark ship is announced amid controversy, as it is reserved for the world's wealthiest and most powerful families. Simulated newscasts announce delays and setbacks as scientists are lured to the private ark ship. As the neutron star enters our solar system, Saturn is destroyed, and the Earth experiences calamitous shifts in its seasons. The private ark ship, equipped with an antimatter engine, explodes when its antimatter containment fails. Families are potentially broken up as they prepare to board the remaining ark ship, and experts discuss the basic necessities for human life: bacteria, air, water, and food. Bacteria are easily stored, and air is synthesized from water. Food, however, remains a difficult problem, and experts propose that colonists will eat insects and algae, which are easily replenished and space efficient.
The ark ship launches and quickly speeds away, a few days later the neutron star is close enough that it's radiation begins to heat up the core and melt the crust, which causes massive earthquakes and volcanism. Next, the gravity from the neutron star tears away the surface, causing the crust to shatter and the hot interior of earth to spill out into the vacuum of space. Earth is destroyed, but only the colonists on the ark can see this happen, as the rest of humanity had already been wiped out. The colonists continue their journey to Barnard's Star; experts discuss the potential for mutiny and fatalism, ultimately rejecting them as unlikely, as strong family and societal bonds will be emphasized. The journey is estimated to take approximately eighty-eight years, and the youngest of the original crew survive to see the new planet, which potentially harbors other lifeforms. Experts conclude that the scenario, though unlikely, is possible and requires preparation from the world's governments.
Cast
- Catherine Asaro
- David Bartell
- Matt Ganey
- Terri Ganey
- Les Johnson
- Paul Levinson
- Hakeem Oluseyi
- Fernando I. Rivera
Reception
Mike Hale of The New York Times wrote, "It’s essentially science fiction, cheap and cheesy, with lots of stock scenes of explosions, fires and chaotic crowds, but it’s consistently interesting."[1]
References
- ↑ Hale, Mike (2012-11-30). "No End in Sight for Doomsaying". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-08-29.