What is the three-body problem? The chaotic, cosmic mathematics behind the Netflix TV show

The Three-Body Problem refers to a classical mechanics problem in physics that involves predicting the motion of three celestial bodies that are interacting with each other gravitationally. It's a challenging problem because the gravitational forces between three bodies can lead to complex and unpredictable behavior. This problem has been studied extensively in physics and astronomy and has applications in various fields, including celestial mechanics, astrodynamics, and even chaos theory. 

What links Sir Isaac Newton, alien solar systems, and a new multi-million dollar TV show on Netflix?

The answer is "the three-body problem": a conundrum in astronomy and mathematics that describes why it's often difficult to predict the long-term trajectory of planets, moons and stars.

So, what exactly is the problem? And how did it end up becoming the title of a Netflix TV series?

To understand, you first need to know a bit about the background to the TV show, and its premise. The story is based on Liu Cixin's epic sci-fi trilogy, the Remembrance of Earth's Past, of which The Three-body Problem is the first book. The original trilogy is characterised by the author's attention to scientific detail. The adaptation is less so, but still crammed with scientific ideas.

 https://bbc.com/future/article/20240328-the-science-astronomy-and-mathematics-of-netflixs-3-body-problem-tv-show

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