Exploring the astrophysics behind Project Hail Mary

What happens when hard science fiction collides with big-budget cinema? The latest episode of Physics World Stories delves into the ideas within Project Hail Mary – a new film about a science teacher (portrayed by Ryan Gosling) who finds himself alone on a spacecraft with the job of saving humanity from a star-dimming threat.

Host Andrew Glester talks to science-fiction author Andy Weir, whose 2021 novel inspired the production. Weir, also known for The Martian and Artemis – both adapted for the screen – has built a reputation for scientific rigour, sometimes spending days perfecting calculations for the smallest plot details. In the interview, he reflects on how his writing has evolved over time, with a growing focus on character development alongside the hardcore science.

Also in the episode is astrophysicist and science communicator Becky Smethurst, who gives her take on the film’s science. From the treatment of relativity to its refreshingly plausible take on alien life, Smethurst loves how Project Hail Mary avoids many familiar sci-fi clichés. She also shares some of her favourite recent science fiction.

Smethurst, who runs the popular YouTube channel Dr Becky, recently released a series about Project Hail Mary. It’s well worth checking out the entertaining interviews with Weir, Gosling and directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller – all grappling with the challenge of bringing complex physics to the screen.

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