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rivendellroseBSG fans really ought to check out this discussion on NPR's Science Friday. It's about the origin of the word "robot," but I think you might recognize the plot description of the play the word was invented for.
Relevant bit of transcript from the interview under the cut:
Summary: "Robot is a relative newcomer to the English language. It was the brainchild of the Czech playwright, novelist and journalist Karel Čapek, who introduced it in his 1920 hit play, R.U.R., or Rossum's Universal Robots. Science historian Howard Markel discusses how Čapek thought up the word."
Excerpt:
"Prof. MARKEL: Yeah. And, you know, the robots - it's really a wonderful play. The robots do so well, they really kind of take over Earth. I mean, they take over the army. They take over all the work. Even human women can no longer reproduce because they've forgotten how. And so, the robots, after a while, say, hey, enough of this. We're going to take over the world. We're doing all the work. So it's sort of an allegory for a mass revolt of the workers unite and things get really bad. And all but one human being is killed in this play.
FLATOW: Wow.
Prof. MARKEL: The robots realize, oh, no. We've killed everybody who knows how to make robots. So they've actually guaranteed their extinction. And then there's this magical moment where two robots, a male and a female robot, suddenly developed the ability to feel, to love and have human emotions, and they go off into the sunset to make the world anew."
There really is no new story in the world. ;)
Relevant bit of transcript from the interview under the cut:
Summary: "Robot is a relative newcomer to the English language. It was the brainchild of the Czech playwright, novelist and journalist Karel Čapek, who introduced it in his 1920 hit play, R.U.R., or Rossum's Universal Robots. Science historian Howard Markel discusses how Čapek thought up the word."
Excerpt:
"Prof. MARKEL: Yeah. And, you know, the robots - it's really a wonderful play. The robots do so well, they really kind of take over Earth. I mean, they take over the army. They take over all the work. Even human women can no longer reproduce because they've forgotten how. And so, the robots, after a while, say, hey, enough of this. We're going to take over the world. We're doing all the work. So it's sort of an allegory for a mass revolt of the workers unite and things get really bad. And all but one human being is killed in this play.
FLATOW: Wow.
Prof. MARKEL: The robots realize, oh, no. We've killed everybody who knows how to make robots. So they've actually guaranteed their extinction. And then there's this magical moment where two robots, a male and a female robot, suddenly developed the ability to feel, to love and have human emotions, and they go off into the sunset to make the world anew."
There really is no new story in the world. ;)
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Date: 2011-05-01 09:32 pm (UTC)I saw the pregnancy coming -- when a female character in a drama starts vomiting for no apparent reason, it's not hard to guess that might be a possible cause. Although, I'm still waiting for explanation -- I'm watching it with a friend who adds a touch of cynicism to the viewings, and she's not convinced that the Power of Love makes robots suddenly fertile. Even though, I guess since the cylons share human DNA... and if they were built with extreme attention to detail... But if they are so identical to humans, what's with the bit with glowing spines?
And those shots in the final episode -- a friend of mine inadvertently spoiled me for that, but it was scripted so suddenly and skillfully that it still took me completely by surprise. Good thing I can get the second season immediately. The makers of that show can be so cruel!
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Date: 2011-05-01 09:59 pm (UTC)No kidding! When The Boy and I watched this the first time, I went "holy shit, she's pregnant!" the instant she vomited, and he kind of looked at me funny and said "no, I think it's the radiation - they're running out of the radiation meds, remember?" I had to explain to him that, no, if a woman on TV has sex and then vomits a few days later, she's pregnant. It's like a code. :P
The stuff with the Power of Love and precisely how identical Cylons are to Humans... hmm. I'm with your friend in that I don't totally buy it, and in that the glowing spines... seem like a really random thing to have happen in a bunch of robots otherwise exactly like Humans, apparently.
it was scripted so suddenly and skillfully that it still took me completely by surprise.
Ooo, yes! Such a fantastic moment! I, too, was much relieved that we didn't have to wait months before the conclusion of that whole thing. ;)
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Date: 2011-05-01 10:37 pm (UTC)On the topic of the glowing spines, it's strange that they apparently show up only when the cylons are in the throes of passion.
If the humans discovered this fact, it would make cylon-detection so much easier. Instead of taking hours upon hours analyzing blood samples, Baltar could just seduce everyone on the ship. ;p
...A large part of each episode consists of me saying, "WTH BALTAR?" I disliked him at first for being a selfish weasel, but as the show goes on he's been so entertaining in his ridiculousness that now I can't help but love him as a character.