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Could 3 Body Problem's aliens exist? The science behind Netflix's new hit

Discovered in 2016, a roughly Earth-sized planet orbiting our nearest neighboring star might be habitable. This artist's impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the solar system.
ESO/M. Kornmesser
Discovered in 2016, a roughly Earth-sized planet orbiting our nearest neighboring star might be habitable. This artist's impression shows a view of the surface of the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the solar system.

Way before Short Wave co-host Regina G. Barber became a scientist, she was a lover of science fiction. So when she heard about Netflix's series '3 Body Problem' — in which the world's leading scientists race to solve an interstellar mystery that spans decades — she was hooked.

The series is based on a bestselling trilogy written by Chinese author and engineer Liu Cixin and translated by Ken Liu. But it also draws from some very real scientific concepts.

In this episode, Barber and astrobiologist Mike Wong (who you might remember from our episode on Dune) dive into the science behind the '3 Body Problem' — from integrating orbits to discovering potentially habitable worlds.


This story is part of Short Wave's Space Camp series about all the weird, wonderful things happening in the universe. Check out more from the full series.

Curious about other science behind the things you love? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

Listen to Short Wave on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Today's episode was produced by Hannah Chinn. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Hannah and Regina checked the facts. The audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.

Special thanks to our friends at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Home of Space Camp®.

Copyright 2024 NPR

Regina G. Barber
Regina G. Barber is Short Wave's Scientist in Residence. She contributes original reporting on STEM and guest hosts the show.
Hannah Chinn
Rebecca Ramirez (she/her) is the founding producer of NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. It's a meditation in how to be a Swiss Army Knife, in that it involves a little of everything — background research, finding and booking sources, interviewing guests, writing, cutting the tape, editing, scoring ... you get the idea.