Could wereally travel in a Tardis one day? Talk reveals the science behind fiction.Byline: Catherine Evans THE science-fiction featured in cult TV show Doctor Who has captured our imagination for decades. But tonight a South Wales South Wales south n → sud m du Pays de Galles researcher will explain how time travel, sonic screwdrivers and the Tardis could become reality. In her lecture, Doctor Who: Fact or Fantasy? Rhianne Attwood will look into the science behind the TV series and shed some light on how close we are to living our lives just like the Time Lord. Rhianne, 25, who is studying for a Phd in star formation at Cardiff University's school of physics and astronomy, said: "It's a really good way to capture people's imaginations and get children interested in science. "I've always been interested in Doctor Who and enjoy the programme. Then I read some articles about the physics behind it and it got me thinking. "The lecture looks at three different things: time travel, teleportation tel·e·por·ta·tion n. A hypothetical method of transportation in which matter or information is dematerialized, usually instantaneously, at one point and recreated at another. and the Tardis. Is it possible to produce a real-life sonic screwdriver The sonic screwdriver is a fictional tool in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Its most common function is to operate virtually any lock, mechanical or electronic, and thus open doors for escape or exploration. ? And how close are we to tackling time travel and building our very own Tardis?" Rhianne said her lecture, which takes place tonight at 7.30pm at The Gate in Keppoch Street, Roath, is not just aimed at science fans. "It's very lighthearted, quite a fun talk, and you don't have to have a scientific background to come along to the lecture," she said. "It was originally aimed at 14 to 16-year-olds, but I gave the same talk to some (university) students and they really enjoyed it because they can remember the earlier series." Rhianne will argue that certain ele- ments of Doctor Who could become fact in the future. "I'll be talking about genetic modification, gravitational grav·i·ta·tion n. 1. Physics a. The natural phenomenon of attraction between physical objects with mass or energy. b. The act or process of moving under the influence of this attraction. 2. fields and special relativity special relativity n. The physical theory of space and time developed by Albert Einstein, based on the postulates that all the laws of physics are equally valid in all frames of reference moving at a uniform velocity and that the speed of light from a ," she said. "With the teleportation topic, scientists in America are already tele-porting small atoms a few metres across laboratories. But the problem is that if we wanted to do it ourselves, we are made up of so many protons and neutrons it would take us 4,000 times the age of the universe to tele-port and rebuild ourselves." Graham Jones, 68, manager of the Doctor Who exhibition at the Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff Bay, said: "What we have seen with science-fiction in the past is many things we laughed about have become reality, like man walking on the moon. "Doctor Who tends to be quite extreme, so I'm not too sure what could become real. "But I'd like to go back in time and knock a few decades off my age!" catherinemary.evans@mediawales.co.uk CAPTION(S): SCI-FI FAN: Rhianne Attwood is giving a lecture about Doctor Who, claiming some elements of the show could become reality PICTURE: Peter Bolter |
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