Star Wars Day: Secrets Surrounding the Force

She is defined in Episode IV released in 1977 by Obi-Wan Kenobi as ” a kind of fluid created by all living beings, an energy that surrounds and penetrates us, and that keeps the galaxy together “. Are there such “fluids” created by living beings in the real world? Or equivalents? In physicalwe define four fundamental strengths : gravitation, the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force responsible for the cohesion of the atomic nucleus and finally the weak nuclear force responsible for radioactive beta decays (among others). If none of the four can relate directly to the Force of Star Warsthey can help.

In his book Do science with Star Wars, Roland Lehoucq explore this analogy between THE Force and our fundamental interactions. First, it is present everywhere, and its omnipresence creates like a Force field, just like the gravitational field which is due to the mass of each object or theelectromagnetism at the load. Jedi can then control objects by manipulating the field around them: it’s not the object itself that they move, but the field around them.

Manipulate dark energy, and you’ll be a Jedi

Thus, it could find its equivalent in gravitation. Except that the intensity of the field is not entirely compatible with our real world. Because if we follow this logic, as R.Lehoucq explains, then in episode V, when master Yoda lifts Luke’s ship, “assuming that the gravity of Dagobah is close to that of the Earth, the power necessary to achieve this feat is of the order of 100 kilowatts, or the power of a car standard ! ». Very strong, Yoda is. Similarly, assuming it is the electromagnetic field that the Jedis exploit, then the lightning created by Palpatine in Episode VI would require 10 megawatts of power, or the equivalent of a TGV Duplex ! Even more powerful, Palpatine.

Rather than our fundamental interactions, let’s explore another aspect, much more mysterious: theenergy dark, also called dark energy. Representing nearly 70% of the energy content of the Universe, it is responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe, and behaves like a repulsive gravitation: it tends to move objects away from each other. But there again, a catch! R.Lehoucq did the calculations, “To lift R2D2 one meter above the ground of Dagobah, as he does during his training, Luke must mentally collect the dark energy contained in a cube more than 10 kilometers on a side. »

The new saga of the 2000s and the arrival of the Midichloriens

The released prelogy brings a new element of response, with the release of Star Wars I in 1999. The Force was created by small organizations, who live in symbiosis within living beings: the midi-chloriens (or midichloriens). But brought back to our world, they are difficult to imagine: impossible to consider them as parasitesnor are they comparable to mitochondria whose name resembles, who are organellestherefore intracellular structures, not organisms.

They are furthermore equipped with a intelligence own collective, and would have even created Anakin, born without a father and whose blood contains a rate of 20,000 [unité mystère] ! Enough to question the Jedi Council on its nature as Chosen. But then how do they appear within the human body, and what defines their quantity? No details, the legend tells that they come from a planet in the heart of the galaxy, more exactly from THE planet where all life was born. They are a source of life and can be manipulated by beings who are sensitive to them: the Jedis.

The Chosen One has finally turned to the dark side of the Force

Able to survive in extreme environmentsfrom the intergalactic void to the bubbling heart of a starR.Lehoucq then compares them to a type of bacteria well known… Escherichia coli, present in our intestines! In our digestive system, they are harmless, even beneficial, but if they decide to wander elsewhere in the body, then danger! This can cause infections, including sepsis. The midi-chlorians, if we follow this scheme, would then be present in a specific place in the human body, and should certainly not leave it! Or would they leave it in particular situations?

This might have happened to Anakin when he turned to the dark side in Episode III, or to Palpatine when he decided to kill his family in his youth. In the absence of a bad digestion, it is the whole consciousness that would be modified by the displacement of these midi-chlorians out of their area of ​​predilection. Unfortunately we’ll probably never know, just like Anakin will never achieve the rank of master.