Scientific Accuracy and Inaccuracy of '2012' Movie Essay

Scientific accuracy in films is a problem intensely discussed. If fantasy and artistic licenses are facets of an interesting story, certain scientists perceive that various scenes infringe natural laws to such extent that they may generate in the public false views of reality and inaccurate scientific perspectives. Various instances of scientific accuracy and inaccuracy are evident in a film known as '2012.'

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The film is demonstrated as scientifically inaccurate when directors capitalized on the mass concerns regarding the 'extinction of world' as forecasted by the Mayans of Central America, where calendar terminates on 21st December 2012. They attempted to scientifically elucidate the rash of natural catastrophes. In the film, an astrophysicist in India found out that a huge solar flare is causing the rise of temperature on the earth's core. The scientist assumes that the neutrinos have mutated on the earth.

The film is scientifically inaccurate in the events that occur after the explosion of the Yellowstone Caldera. The scientists explain that the Ash Cloud would damage the regions of Las Vegas, St. Louis, and Chicago in the following manner (Whitney). In addition, a pyroclastic cloud moves at a speed of 450 miles per hour. The cloud arrives at Las Vegas earlier rather than on Pittsburg. Las Vegas would have the first destination before Jackson and his family arrived at the cloud.

The film is scientifically inaccurate because the plane carrying heroes is being followed by the pyroclastic flow from the eruption of the Yellowstone Caldera. From the geological standpoint, a pyroclastic flow constitutes rocks and hot gases at 1000 Celsius. The flow at one instance overtakes the plane. In the real world, the plane would have been damaged by the temperatures and the accelerating rocks. Surprisingly, the plane was free and away from any scratch after interacting with the pyroclastic flow.

The film is scientifically inaccurate when Charlie Frost creates a video blog that elucidates the entire revolutionary concept in an understandable way. It expresses what the neutrinos are doing, then advances on to what the melting of the core will impact the Earth's crust. Charles Hapgood who discovered earth crust displacement theory viewed that it is possible for the earth's tectonic plates to change around the earth. This theory was disapproved because it implied that volcanic hotspots would move in regards to the earth's crust. The existence of volcanic rocks in Yellowstone National Park makes it questionable that it has occurred what the theorist thought. There is no proof that this will never occur and it is surely it should not happen with the time frame covered by this film.

The film is scientifically inaccurate because the world is ripping apart because the earth's neutrino particles have been mutated and are increasing the temperature of the earth's core (Whitney). The heating will ultimately result in huge tectonic shifts, volcano eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis that might pose a threat to the human survival. As expressed in the movie, in the top surface of the earth, it would have been entirely damaged under the pressure before the core could have started heating up.

Various instances and concepts are shown in the film justify that it is scientifically accurate. For instance, as illustrated in the film, the earth is changing rapidly in the actual world as shown in the movie. The changes are not on the earth only. From the geological point of view, the neighboring plates, sun, and the whole solar system are in effect by some yet unidentified galactic energies along the way.

The movie is scientifically accurate because the solar craziness causes vast flares which upset neutrinos. They pass right through matter and lack mass and therefore they cannot touch anything. From a geological perspective, solar activity is cyclical and people are due for a solar max phase around 2012. Solar storms that produce explosions of subatomic matter are very strong.

The movie is scientifically accurate because the neutrinos change into new atomic particles because of the craziness of the sun. In the real world, the neutrinos can boil water and earth's tectonic plates start to shift. From a geological standpoint, the hot neutrinos use kinetic energy to hit the walls of the earth leading to break down.

It is scientifically accurate that the shifting of the tectonic forces causes huge cracks that lead to tsunamis on the earth. From the geological standpoint, most of the tsunamis are caused by earthquakes produced in a subduction zone. The latter is a geographical region where an oceanic plate is obliged into the mantle by plate tectonic forces.

It is scientifically accurate that Yellowstone puts enough ash on the fall to be detected in the Mississippi region (Lorens). It is reasonable because a huge volcano eruption lies beneath the yellow stone. From the geological viewpoint, arrowheads fabricating Yellowstone obsidian have been discovered in Mississippi Valley implying that the scientific accuracy was correct.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the movie shows what could happen to the earth if tectonic plates moved rapidly and that is not the case for it is shown that they move at distances of one inch per year. Thus making the events seen in the movie seem impossible however they could happen if the tectonic plates moved at great distances.

Works Cited

Emmerich, Roland et al. "2012 (2009)". Imdb, 2018, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190080/. Accessed 26 May 2018.

Lorens, Kimer. "2012 (2009) - Tsunami and Arks Scenes - Pure Action [4K]." YouTube, 25 Apr. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7tx84SmuCI. Accessed 26 May 2018.

Whitney, E. "2012 The Movie Vs. 2012 The Reality". Beyond The Horizon, 2009, https://timebandit15.com/2009/11/28/2012-the-movie-vs-2012-the-reality/. Accessed 26 May 2018.