The Scientific Secrets Of Doctor Who Part 1

The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who.

Simon Guerrier, Dr. Marek Kukula.

ABOUT THE BOOK.

The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who is a mind-bending blend of story and science that will help you see Doctor Who in a whole new light, weaving together a series of all-new adventures, featuring every incarnation of the Doctor.

With commentary that explores the possibilities of time travel, life on other planets, artificial intelligence, parallel universes and more, Simon Guerrier and Dr Marek Kukula show how Doctor Who uses science to inform its unique style of storytelling and just how close it has often come to predicting future scientific discoveries.

This book is your chance to be the Doctor's companion and explore what's out there. It will make you laugh, and think, and see the world around you differently.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS.

Simon Guerrier has written countless Doctor Who books, comics, audio plays and doc.u.mentaries. As research for one of his Doctor Who stories, he studied GCSE astronomy at the Royal Observatory Greenwich which resulted in an A* and the plot for another Doctor Who story. Simon regularly writes for Horrible Histories Magazine and medical journal The Lancet Psychiatry. With his brother Thomas, Simon also makes films and doc.u.mentaries most recently The Fundamentalist Queen, about the wife of Oliver Cromwell, broadcast on Radio 3 in December 2014.

Dr Marek Kukula is the Public Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the home of time and s.p.a.ce. Originally he wanted to be a Time Lord when he grew up but settled on astronomy as the next most exciting thing, going on to study quasars and distant galaxies with the Hubble s.p.a.ce Telescope. Marek regularly appears on BBC science shows such as The Sky at Night and Bang Goes the Theory to explain the latest astronomical discoveries and has also turned up in Doctor Who Confidential, where he showed Karen Gillan how to view Saturn through a telescope.

'I, too, used to believe in magic, but the Doctor has taught me about science. It is better to believe in science.'

Leela, Horror of Fang Rock (1977).

INTRODUCTION.

'The TARDIS is outside.'

'So?'

'So, all of time and all of s.p.a.ce is sitting out there. A big blue box. Please, don't even argue.'

The Twelfth Doctor and Clara Oswald, Last Christmas (2014).

How could anyone resist a chance to explore all of time and s.p.a.ce? The Doctor offers his companions and us, watching at home a chance to venture out into the universe and discover its extraordinary wonders.

On these journeys, we uncover the most astounding secrets. Somewhere out there are creatures made of pure energy and monsters that exist in only two dimensions. There are worlds made of diamond, and stars which are alive. You can rewrite history, regenerate from injuries and, best of all, you can travel to anywhere or when in a blue police box that is bigger on the inside than the outside...

At least, according to Doctor Who.

This isn't a book about what bits of science Doctor Who might have got right or wrong in the more than fifty years that it has been on TV. Getting the science right isn't necessarily the same thing as telling a good story although, as we'll see, it's surprising how often bits of real science work their way into the Doctor's adventures. In fact, the series has occasionally been ahead of its time using the latest scientific theories as the inspiration for stories such as Earthshock (1982), or, in stories such as Planet of the Daleks (1973), including outlandish-sounding ideas that scientists only later demonstrated to be real phenomena.

This book won't detail how you can build your own versions of the technological gadgets that we've seen in the series robot dogs, sonic screwdrivers or fully working time machines. That said, there is a bit in Chapter 11 about growing your own potatoes.

And this book isn't about the intentions of the people who have made Doctor Who over the years, and whether or how much they cared about getting the science right. Though that does come up, for example when we discuss the creation of the Cybermen.

Instead, our hope is that the experience of reading this book will be a little like travelling in the TARDIS with the Doctor. Our fifteen thrilling, original Doctor Who stories are inspired by the latest and most boggling scientific ideas. Each story is followed by an examination of the real science involved. Using the stories in this book and from the Doctor's TV adventures, we'll explore the strangest, funniest and most astonis.h.i.+ng elements of the cosmos.

We hope it's a book to thrill you, make you laugh and think, and ultimately see the world and the universe around you differently. Doctor Who has been taking us on adventures for more than fifty years, and science is also a great adventure, constantly revealing new things to amaze and astonish us. We hope this book will make you watch Doctor Who with new eyes. And we hope it will be just a first step inspiring you to explore the world of Doctor Who and the equally extraordinary world of science still further.

A book, in fact, that's bigger on the inside...

Please note: This book uses examples from all 813 television episodes of Doctor Who, from An Unearthly Child (1963) to Last Christmas (2014). There will be spoilers. Scientific data and Doctor Who statistics are correct up to February 2015.

'Lovell Platform from Genetrix, we have a green board for descent. Await go confirm.'

An alert pinged in Lieutenant Devika Cullen's earpiece. She glanced across the c.o.c.kpit to Probe Specialist Rick Attah, who flashed a rea.s.suring grin, then yawned. He reclined in his chair, hands behind his head. They were hanging by a thread 54 kilometres above the surface of Venus, and he looked ready to take a nap. Devika shook her head. s.p.a.ce exploration: a game for the young, as Dad once said.

'Genetrix from Lovell,' crackled Valeriya Alexandrova over the comms. 'You have go confirm, cleared for umbilical detach.'

'Acknowledged, Lovell.'

'Hey Valeriya,' Rick broke in. 'Wanna crack open an alcohol-free tonight?'

The Russian sounded less than keen. 'You have job to do down there. Fraternising with mission co-ordinator is not part of that job.'

'See you in the mess at twenty hundred.'

Devika rolled her eyes. 'You two done?'

Rick grinned and sat up. His body language flowed from bored 24-year-old to alert mission specialist. Rick's fingers danced across the instrument panels before and above him. 'Pressure exchange nominal. Good to go.'

'Lovell from Genetrix, umbilical detach on my mark.'

'Acknowledged, Genetrix.'

Devika sat forward, restraining straps tightening. She glanced at the Heads Up Display, relaying the external camera feed. Below the linked struts and cl.u.s.ter of mission pods that made up International Aeronautical s.p.a.ce Agency Orbital Platform Lovell hung the Genetrix manned probe. A long, slender balloon, its surface glistening silver in the sunlight reflected off the thick Venusian cloud. The balloon's material was laced with a discrete dynastream compound, more than enough to deal with the conditions at the edge of the cloud layer. Slung below the balloon was the mission pod, packed with monitoring instruments, systems and more importantly, herself and Rick.

'Let's ride the Venus Express,' whispered Rick, tensing. This was their third descent from Lovell in as many weeks. Yes, it was becoming routine, something the crew of any long-term s.p.a.ce mission had to contend with. What was it Commander Sanford said? Routine breeds contempt. It had become a mantra of every member of the Venus mission crew. This might be their third descent but, to both Devika and Rick, it was as dangerous as the first, and they had to be alert.

'Umbilical release in five. Four. Three. Two. One.' Devika's fingers curled against the release trigger. She took a breath. 'Mark.'

The c.o.c.kpit lurched. Instead of a sickening drop, the Genetrix began a smooth, swooping descent into the carpet of yellow-tinged cloud directly below.

Devika activated controls, her board a line of pleasing green status lights. 'Rick, how's it looking?'

'Check, check, check and check,' he said briskly. 'Systems at nominal.'

'Check that. Lovell from Genetrix, we are descending to cloud layer.'

'Acknowledged, Genetrix. Stay on comms, and happy fis.h.i.+ng.'

'OK, Rick, take us down.'

'You got it.' Rick tapped out a sequence.

This was what Devika Cullen loved about her job. s.p.a.ce exploration was exciting, most people agreed, even nearly half a century after the 2049 Moon Crisis. But nothing could describe the feeling of floating down to skim through the upper cloud layer of a planet millions of kilometres from home. Looking out into the stars and taking the human race the next few steps.

But it was dangerous out there. A choking atmosphere, anathema to humans, blistering heat that could scorch flesh from bones. From those twentieth-century pioneers of the old USA and Soviet Union to her hero Adelaide Brooke and beyond, anybody who had ever strapped in and felt the crush of 3 gs as they blasted into orbit knew it was dangerous. But still they came.

Devika felt a flush of heat on her face, droplets of perspiration p.r.i.c.kling her brow. She smiled. Environmental systems a.s.sured her it was a cool 20 degrees, but it never harmed to remember what was out there, literally inches away.

'Levelling out at 49 km above the surface of Venus,' reported Rick.

The HUD relayed an image of thick, sulphurous clouds, tendrils of vapour caressing the screen. They were now inside the cloud layer and perfectly safe at this alt.i.tude.

Devika unbuckled and strode to the controls ranged alongside the sealed hatch to the lower level. 'Atmospheric sifters online,' she announced. 'Deploying... now.'

She pulled down on the release triggers. Metallic clangs echoed round the c.o.c.kpit, one after the other. On the HUD, four lozenge-shaped probes dropped away from the Genetrix, umbilical hoses snaking back to the mission pod as they vanished into the haze.

Devika toggled her comms. 'Lovell Platform from Genetrix, commencing atmospheric skim. Stand by.'

The comms silenced with a beep. Rick blew out a breath. Now, they waited.

Devika perched on the edge of her flight chair. Rick started to sing, tunelessly, under his breath.

'Don't give up the day job, Rick,' said Devika. 'What is that?'

Rick adjusted a control. '"Magic Carpet Ride". Steppenwolf.'

Devika snorted. 'Finger on the pulse, Granddad. Try The Beatles next, they're-'

Devika suddenly pitched forward, head smas.h.i.+ng painfully against the metal deck plate. Lights flickered, alarms screamed, status indicators blinked from green to red.

Devika shook her head against the dizziness, vision blurring as she scrabbled onto her chair. 'What the-?' She stopped before completing the sentence, knowing every word they said was heard back on Lovell.

Rick's eyes darted over his control board. 'Pressure mismatch, power drains in all systems.' He turned to face Devika. 'We're dead in the water and dropping further into the cloud layer.'

The HUD screen choked with yellow-stained clouds.

'Lovell Platform from Genetrix. We have a problem. Power drain to all systems, pressure mismatch. Descending into cloud layer.' Despite her even, calm tone, Devika's elevated heartbeat would be giving away to her colleagues monitoring up on Lovell that they had a situation. 'Stand by while we investigate.'

Static crackled.

'Lovell Platform, please acknowledge.'

A calm took hold of Devika. Her eyes locked with Rick's. They both knew what this meant.

'Gah!' Rick gasped, the spell broken as something slammed hard against the sealed rear hatch. 'What was that?'

Devika stood. 'Plasma venting?' she offered unconvincingly.

A gentle buzzing penetrated the c.o.c.kpit.

'Something's out there,' breathed Rick.

The light above the hatch flashed from red to green. Devika gripped the back of her chair so hard her knuckles bleached white.

The hatch slid open, white vapour streaming into the c.o.c.kpit.

'Hey, how are ya?' barked the tall man who stepped through the venting gas, brandis.h.i.+ng a slender probe. Its tip glowed green. He planted booted feet firmly on the deck and pocketed the device. Devika saw a flash of red beneath his long, dark-blue coat. He glared at the astronauts, extending a bony finger to each of them in turn. 'You. You. Blue box out there. In.'

The stunned pair didn't move.

'What the Doctor meant to say,' said a bright voice preceding the young woman peering around the man, 'is that I wanted to watch a Venusian sunset, so we were nearby in our s.h.i.+p when we saw your balloon-thing plunge into the atmosphere. Thought we'd drop in and offer you guys a lift.' She smiled, self-consciously pus.h.i.+ng back a strand of dark-brown hair. Then, as an afterthought: 'Hi, I'm Clara.'

The man the Doctor c.o.c.ked his head to one side. 'My version was quicker,' he murmured. 'Come on, s.h.i.+ft yourselves!' He clapped his hands, gesturing through the hatch. 'You can say thank you later. If you're lucky, I might even say you're welcome.'

Rick looked at the newcomers, mouth open. Devika found her voice. 'We have valuable equipment and data aboard Genetrix. We can't just leave.'

The Doctor's brow furrowed. 'Fair enough,' he shrugged. 'Stay here and die.' With a curt wave, he turned smartly and made to stride through the hatch.

Clara yanked him back. 'Doctor, we have to help.'

'Do we?' asked the Doctor.

'Yes! Unless...' Clara looked up at him, innocent mischief flas.h.i.+ng across her eyes. 'Unless you're saying you don't know how you could save the s.h.i.+p?'

The Doctor returned Clara's gaze, then sighed. 'I hate you sometimes.'

Clara grinned. 'No you don't.'

'Right then,' said the Doctor decisively, whipping out the probe-device in one fluid movement. At that second, it felt to Devika like their situation came cras.h.i.+ng back in, the alerts shrill and deafening. Her head throbbed, limbs feeling like dead weights, a sickening plunging in her stomach. She ran a hand across her brow; it was slick with sweat and blood. Sweat. The heat, suddenly cloying and oppressive in the c.o.c.kpit.