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<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nIllustration by Islenia Mil for\u00a0Science<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n Illustration by Islenia Mil for\u00a0Science This year I had a chance two science-related films screened at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah \u2014 two vastly different films, but both struck a chord. Poacher A gunshot pierces the skull of an adult male elephant, a tusker, and it slowly slumps to the ground. This gruesome, but 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year I had a chance two science-related films screened at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah \u2014 two vastly different films, but both struck a chord.<\/h3>\r\n
Poacher<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
A gunshot pierces the skull of an adult male elephant, a tusker, and it slowly slumps to the ground. This gruesome, but gripping opening shot kicks off the engrossing episodic program\u00a0Poacher<\/em>, inspired by a true story, in which a motley team of wildlife crime fighters exposed the largest ivory ring in Indian history.<\/h3>\r\n
The series is set in 2015 in the jungles of Kerala, an Indian state nicknamed \u201cGod\u2019s Own Country\u201d where, in 1994, authorities quashed an ivory smuggling ring involving transnational crime syndicates. In the opening scene, a whistle blower comes forward to offer information on \u201cRaaz\u201d a dangerous elephant poacher the man claims is active in the area, but state officials are initially dismissive. Surveillance technology has become commonplace and large-scale poaching is thought to be a thing of the past.<\/h3>\r\n
In this fast-paced investigative procedural\u2014the first three episodes of which debuted at Sundance\u2014 the narrative momentum is maintained without forfeiting\u00a0character depth. India\u2019s religious diversity and the many languages spoken in the country are on full display: viewers will hear Malayalam, English, and Hindi throughout the series. The show\u2019s protagonists include computer programmer\/snake expert Alan Joseph (played by Roshan Mathew) who builds a case against the poacher that \u201cwill live and die on data analysis\u201d and forest officer Mala Jogi (Nimisha Sajayan), who leads raids into the hideouts of dangerous suspects and cleans up after the botched efforts of her colleagues. When the team eventually tracks down Raaz, viewers realize this is just the beginning of a very complicated case.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
Cleverly interspersed shots from the misty jungles suggest that the region\u2019s animals too are keeping a wary eye on the proceedings of the case. If the elephants go, the jungle ecosystem will collapse, and Kerala will eventually be as polluted as the national capital New Delhi, viewers are told. An aerial shot of the vehicle-clogged arteries of that megacity hints at what would be lost if this came to be.<\/h3>\r\n
Wildlife crime fighters are an overworked lot with little personal time. In\u00a0Poacher<\/em>, their triumphs and struggles are told with empathy. The dedication of these men and women to this dangerous work suggests there is still hope for the future of wildlife on a planet where humans are now the top predators.<\/h3>\r\n
\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n
The Longest Goodbye<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n
In the next decade, NASA plans to send astronauts to Mars on a three-year mission. The journey itself will take approximately six months, each way. While the various components of a spaceship can be tested under extreme conditions, the effect of prolonged social isolation on the crew members\u2019 emotional well-being remains unknown. And yet, how well the astronauts hold up mentally and emotionally within those cramped quarters could make or mar the mission. This simple but profound idea is elegantly explored in\u00a0The Longest Goodbye<\/em>.<\/h3>\r\n
\u00a0The documentary features interviews with Dr. Al Holland, a NASA psychologist who is tasked with keeping space explorers mentally fit throughout their missions, as well as insightful interviews with astronaut Cady Coleman who lived aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for 6 months from 2010 to 2011, Sukjin Han, a member of an Earthbound Mars simulation crew, and Kayla Barron, an astronaut currently in training for a potential Mars mission.<\/h3>\r\n
Archival video of Coleman\u2019s interactions with her family\u2014which include a long-distance musical duet and a game of tic-tac-toe\u2014 over a shaky internet connection during her six-month stint at the ISS, makes for heartwarming scenes.\u00a0 Coleman\u2019s son Jamey, then in 4th<\/sup>\u00a0grade, had a tough time with his mother\u2019s absence though. As he explains in the film, he always tried to put on a brave face for her.<\/h3>\r\n
\u201cCrew members\u2019 connection with family is a critical piece of sustenance for them,\u201d Holland observes. Such connections are important during any long period of separation, learned Holland in 2010, when NASA was called in to help manage the mental health of 33 Chilean miners trapped underground. The documentary includes footage of the miners\u2019 69 day ordeal and celebrated rescue, along with touching scenes of the miners\u2019 families interacting with them through video calls.<\/h3>\r\n
In a Mars expedition, astronauts will not be able to communicate with their families in real-time, so experts are trying to come up with new strategies to counter homesickness. In the film, they discuss possible solutions, including virtual reality rendezvous with loved ones, AI-enabled companions, and even the possibility of inducing hibernation during the flight. A medical coma may spare the astronauts some angst en route, but will likely lead to readjustment issues when they awaken, they concede.<\/h3>\r\n
Sometimes, the mission to Mars feels like too much to ask of any human for the sake of science. And yet, the explorers who volunteer for such endeavors are often among the most eager participants. \u201cIf I could have spent another six months [on the ISS], I would have stayed in a minute,\u201d reveals Coleman in the closing moments of the film.<\/h3>\r\n
\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n
Read here. html.PDF <\/a><\/h3>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"