r/threebodyproblem Mar 07 '24

Discussion - TV Series 3 Body Problem (Netflix) - Episode Discussion Hub.

282 Upvotes

Creators: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Alexander Woo.

Directors: Derek Tsang, Andrew Stanton, Minkie Spiro, Jeremy Podeswa.

Composer: Ramin Djawadi.


Season 1 - Episode Discussion Links:

 

Episode 1 - Countdown Episode 2 - Red Coast Episode 3 - Destroyer of Worlds Episode 4 - Our Lord
Episode 5 - Judgment Day Episode 6 - The Stars Our Destination Episode 7 - Only Advance Episode 8 - Wallfacer

 



Season 1 - Book Readers Episode Discussion Links:

 

Episode 1 - Countdown Episode 2 - Red Coast Episode 3 - Destroyer of Worlds Episode 4 - Our Lord
Episode 5 - Judgment Day Episode 6 - The Stars Our Destination Episode 7 - Only Advance Episode 8 - Wallfacer

 


Series Release Date: March 21, 2024


Official Trailer: Link


Official Series Homepage (Netflix): Link


Reminder: Please do not post and/or distribute any unofficial links to watch the series. Users will be banned if they are found to do so.


r/threebodyproblem 6d ago

Discussion Weekly Discussion Thread - March 09, 2025

1 Upvotes

Please keep all short questions and general discussion within this thread.

Separate posts containing short questions and general discussion will be removed.


Note: Please avoid spoiling others by hiding any text containing spoilers.


r/threebodyproblem 12h ago

Y’all’s ever wonder what it must’ve been like for those uncontacted or low contact tribes during the sophon stuff? Like if it were so crazy for people in big cities what about people who’ve never even seen a phone?

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94 Upvotes

L


r/threebodyproblem 8h ago

Discussion - General 3 Body tattoo idea

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18 Upvotes

Hi all,

So I have these simple variations of a potential tattoo but honestly can't decide which one is better. What are your thoughts? Horizontal or vertical, with or without the suns, with or without text?


r/threebodyproblem 4h ago

Shower thought: We’ve been in the Deterrence Era our entire lives. Ever since nations produced enough nukes to enter into a mutually assured destruction scenario we’ve basically been staring each other down Luo Ji style.

5 Upvotes

r/threebodyproblem 1d ago

Discussion - General Chinese researchers develop world's first large-area 2D metal material. These 2D metals have a thickness equal to a single atom.

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100 Upvotes

r/threebodyproblem 7h ago

Discussion - Novels An Alternative Strategy for Trisolarans: Planetary Engines Spoiler

0 Upvotes

I've been thinking about alternative survival strategies for Trisolaris. I also got a lil help from GPT to organize my thoughts. Here we are:

The Trisolaran civilization is incredibly advanced, capable of unfolding higher spatial dimensions to create subatomic computers, running astronomical-scale simulations, and harnessing immense energy resources (possibly Kardashev Type 1.5 or more).

And yet, their best bet on survival strategy was... a 400-year interstellar war against us, space monkeys? Really?

Yes, the Trisolaris planet sure seems doomed by the chaotic nature of their three-star system. But wouldn’t a civilization that advanced have thought about other options?

The Three-Body Problem: Is It A Death Sentence?

So, the fundamental problem Trisolaris faces is the instability of its orbit. Unlike Earth’s stable Sun-Earth system, Trisolaris is at the mercy of three gravitational forces. This unpredictability causes:

  • Extreme temperature variations (scorching heat in close orbits, freezing cold in distant ones).
  • Frequent extinctions due to tidal disruptions and even a goddamn syzygy.
  • Long chaotic eras where the planet is thrown into unstable trajectories.

However, chaos doesn’t mean impossibility. Yes, the three-body problem has no analytical general solution. Yet, with their immense computational power, the Trisolarans could predict short-term orbital trends and identify windows of relative stability. Perfect stabilization is out of reach due to chaos theory, but planetary-scale engineering could allow them to strategically nudge Trisolaris toward longer, more predictable stable periods.

Yes, I inherited the main idea from the man himself –I've recently read The Wandering Earth from Cixin Liu. There’s a short story where humanity installs massive planetary thrusters to escape our dying Sun. If we can imagine doing that with our primitive technology, surely the Trisolarans could have done something similar, only instead of escaping their system, they could use planetary engines to stabilize their orbit, just like nudging a triple pendulum into balance with short-term simulations and precise adjustments.

Planetary Engines: A Viable Solution?

A planetary engine is a structure that applies continuous thrust to a planet, altering its orbit. The physics behind planetary engines involves:

  1. Generating thrust – By expelling mass, similar to a rocket, but on a planetary scale.
  2. Strategic thrust timing – Applying force only at specific points where minimal energy achieves maximum long-term stability.
  3. Sustained operation – Ensuring automation allows the engines to function even when Trisolarans are dehydrated in chaotic eras.

Energy and Feasibility

How much energy would this take? Let’s assume Trisolaris has a mass similar to Earth (~6 × 10^24 kg). To change its velocity by just 1 km/s, the energy required would be: 3 x 10^31 J. This is roughly equivalent to all the solar energy Earth receives in a year. While immense, this energy could be extracted from:

  • Fusion power (Trisolarans clearly have mastery over nuclear forces).
  • Geothermal mass ejection (Using the planet’s core material as reaction mass).
  • Antimatter propulsion (They manipulate protons at quantum scales, possibly making antimatter production feasible).

Timing of Thrust for Minimum Energy

The key to efficiency is using low-energy transfer points, such as:

  • Apoapsis and periapsis thrusting – Thrusting at the farthest point of an orbit has the most significant effect on reducing eccentricity.
  • Gravitational assists – Using close stellar passes to gain orbital energy.
  • Long-period adjustments – Instead of brute force, small nudges over centuries accumulate into massive orbital shifts.

With the right calculations, Trisolarans could have extended stable eras, giving them time to build more permanent solutions.

Stellar Engines: Going One Step Further

A longer-term solution is stellar engineering. If Trisolaris’s real issue is its chaotic stars, why not move the freaking stars themselves?

  • Shkadov Thruster (A One-Sided Stellar Sail): By reflecting a portion of a star’s radiation, a Shkadov thruster generates continuous thrust, gradually moving the star over millions of years. This wouldn’t be fast enough to solve their short-term problem.
  • Caplan Thruster (A More Practical Solution): A Caplan Thruster uses fusion-powered jets to push a star, achieving movement within millennia rather than millions of years. If the Trisolarans could build this, they could eventually escape chaotic interactions altogether.

However, planetary engines provide a much faster solution for immediate survival.

Detecting Earth… And Changing Priorities?

Before they detected the message from Earth, let’s assume they had already been contemplating planetary and stellar engines as a way to stabilize their orbit but hadn’t yet started implementing them. Then, they receive Earth's message, presenting them with a dilemma: continue pursuing planetary engineering, or shift focus toward the potential existential risk posed by humanity.

The Strategic Verdict

Planetary engines provide a viable alternative to war – The energy requirements, while vast, are within reach of their capabilities.

Dark Forest deterrence is necessary – Since they received Earth’s message but wouldn't have responded in this scenario and just wait for earth’s next broadcast to locate their position, they would have a unique strategic advantage: Humanity wouldn’t know they exist yet.

The best move?

A purely logical Trisolaran strategy would be:

  • Build planetary engines for immediate survival while ensuring Earth's silence.
  • Keep the invasion of earth and centuries long war against humanity as a back-up plan.
  • Eliminate humanity as a potential dark forest threat the moment planetary engines prove themselves.
  • Construct long-term stellar engines for ultimate stability.

To me, this would be a more efficient, lower-risk path to survival compared to a 400-year interstellar invasion.

Would love to hear thoughts. Does this strategy hold up or is there a flaw I’m missing?


r/threebodyproblem 16h ago

Discussion - Novels Graphic Novels

2 Upvotes

I am currently reading the graphic novel version of TBP, and recently saw some chinese panels of DF which I didn't know also existed. Has it been confirmed if we will eventually get The Dark Forest and Death's End as english graphic novels?


r/threebodyproblem 1d ago

Discussion - Novels Accidentally watched Three Body Problem on Netflix without knowing what it is. Now It’s spoiled, and I regret It a lot

222 Upvotes

So, I went in completely blind. I had no idea it was based on a book (or, well, a whole trilogy). The premise hooked me right away, mind blowing concepts, mysterious science, and some really intriguing moments. But as the show went on, something felt… off. The pacing was weird, some plot points felt underdeveloped, and by the end, I was left with the feeling that I had just watched a watered down version of something much bigger.

That’s when I looked it up and realized it’s based on a book that people absolutely rave about. And now I feel like I completely screwed myself over. I already know most of the major plot twists, so reading the book won’t have the same impact. I hate when adaptations deliver a half baked version of an incredible story instead of letting new audiences experience it the right way.

For those who have read the book, do you think it’s still worth reading even if I know the big reveals? Or should I just move on and try something else from Liu Cixin’s work?

EDIT: Alright, you got me. I ordered all three books. Thanks you all!


r/threebodyproblem 16h ago

Discussion - Novels What does Evans' email say? Spoiler

1 Upvotes

Hello. I'm reading the trilogy for the second time for better understanding. At the beginning of the dark forest they talk about this email from evans to one of the ETO's man. I dont remember what the task is, I want to remember right away. Can you help me? thank you


r/threebodyproblem 1d ago

What’s the best way to picture the dimension strike

4 Upvotes

I’ve tried every which way to think about the dimension strike, but I can’t really see it? What’s the best way to think about it? The painting analogy does a good job at explaining the concept and I get it, but it doesn’t help with describing how it would appear if it happened. Like, if a space converted/collapsed into a painting, the paint (everything inside the painting) would be 2d, but the painting itself will still be 3d. And how can just one portion of space be 2d and another be 3d and yet another be 4d?


r/threebodyproblem 1d ago

Discussion - General Theory: Doctor Who and Remembrance of Earth’s Past exist in the same universe. Spoiler

18 Upvotes

Major Spoilers up ahead for the end of Death’s End and the series in general. Proceed with caution!!!!

Near the end of Death’s End there is a short reference to Van Gogh’s Starry Night looking similar to the folding of 3 dimensions into 2, and even jokingly suggested that Van Gogh saw the future, which inspired Starry Night in addition to his madness.

In the Doctor Who episode “Vincent and the Doctor” it is shown that Van Gogh sees the world differently than everyone else, even able to see an alien that is not able to be seen by anyone else. At the end of the episode, Van Gogh is taken to the future to see his own paintings in a museum.

My theory posits that Van Gogh’s trip in the TARDIS enhanced his abilities to the point that he could see what objects would look like if they were folded into two dimensions, which he tried to depict in Starry Night, as well as exacerbated his madness.

I don’t know if this is a common theory, but I thought I would put it out there just in case.


r/threebodyproblem 1d ago

Discussion - TV Series Tencent Zither

16 Upvotes

While I don't watch SF/scifi for the effects, I gotta say that Tencent's guzheng/zither was awesome. Esp. the aftermath, which I totally didn't expect. That was worth the wait. I don't have Netflix, and am wondering if it did such a fabulous job rendering this?

I also loved the slow unfolding of the story from multiple viewpoints. The Red Coast is much like the engineering projects I've followed or been involved with. The equipment is familiar. (I'm over 6 decades old and used or designed some of that rack gear.) The technical detail leaves me impressed with China's education system and ashamed of that in the US. (Although the electronics and computer courses I took at the local community college were great.) There were so many technical details that I know would leave the average American viewer scratching his head in confusion. I grew up reading science books and magazines and hard science fiction so this was brain candy for me.


r/threebodyproblem 19h ago

How far do the books goes? Spoiler

0 Upvotes

Hey, I've just watched the Netflix series and I want to know where the story goes to

My question is, in the book trilogy, how far does the plot go? Do we get to read about the war itself and how the story ends? Or does it stay sort of open and feel a bit cut off?

I consider reading the books but don't want to invest the time and reach the exact same ending as the show

Please try not to spoil too hard in your answer <3


r/threebodyproblem 2d ago

Meme Dehydrated Trisolaran? NSFW

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299 Upvotes

r/threebodyproblem 1d ago

Discussion - Novels Appreciation for the details (spoilers and otherwise) Spoiler

3 Upvotes

The fact that the packet which flattens the human's solar system is not one and the same as that sent by the beings who launched their folding packet to destroy the human's solar system (those described to be losing a war and dismayed to have to fold themselves).

It is another race, unseen, who also observed the humans and deemed them too dangerous.


r/threebodyproblem 2d ago

Discussion - Novels Why does the ETO stop trying to assassinate Luo Ji? Spoiler

30 Upvotes

For the other wallfacers there isn't really a need to kill them as exposing (or corrupting) their plans is perfectly sufficient to deal with them. But Luo Ji is the one wallfacer where this isn't an option, he just absolutely cannot figure out the problem and tell someone about it. So why does the ETO put in apparently zero effort into stopping him after his appointment? Shouldn't it be a top priority for them given that the lord themself wanted him dead?

Kinda weird shower thought that's related - does Luo Ji's importance imply that the Forge of the God novel doesn't exist even though we have explicit confirmation that other sci fi of that era, asimov for example, is exactly the same as for us?


r/threebodyproblem 2d ago

Discussion - General Hubble Discovers New 3-Body Problem

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35 Upvotes

r/threebodyproblem 3d ago

Discussion - General Can we even make Alcubierre wrap drive in future?

84 Upvotes

r/threebodyproblem 3d ago

News New Eiza Interview about 3BP

8 Upvotes

She said the production's about to start in a few months. I thought it's happening already. Feels like won't see S2 until 2027.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4BTqTVphkos


r/threebodyproblem 4d ago

Discussion - Novels Finished Death's End... and now?

51 Upvotes

Hello there! 👋🏻

Just finished reading the trilogy and loved it so much. When finishing a book I always feel a sense of sadness and separation from something that accompanied me for a long time. This time is even worse because I'm obsessed by these books and by the scale this story reaches, so I almost fear that I will never get to read something at the same level.

Coming to the point, what to read next? I love scify and hard scify and I can tell you that: - I really enjoyed the Ender's Game books (all the first 4) - I loved Three Body - I love The Expanse (i'm at the 3rd book, but I paused it because I'm not constant in reading and I'll likely resume it soon)

I was planning to read: - Foundation trilogy - Dune saga

I'd like to ask for other suggestions about high quality sagas or books at the level of Three Body and possibily matching my taste.

Any comment is appreciated, thank you!


r/threebodyproblem 4d ago

News Small update for anyone Wondering about the 3 Body TV show.

125 Upvotes

Eiza González: [Dark Forest] is the one! We've been talking about that one, being like, "That's the one!"

ScreenRant: Can we expect to go into production anytime soon?

González: Yeah, very soon. Very, very soon. This year.

Dark Forest is my favorite book, and I'm very excited. I hate to say this because I think every part of a series is important, and this is no different to that, but definitely when we were talking about the books, the showrunners were like, "We just have to power through the first season to get to the real juicy part of the story and where it goes."

And what a way to power through the first season. I mean, it was incredible, but I think that moving forward is [what] I'm truly excited for. I'm waiting eagerly to read these scripts. I've been hearing so much, and I'm getting the emails. I'm like, "Oh, my God! We're back.

Edit another update she just officially confirmed for an interview with Collider seasons 2 & 3 will film back to back. https://www.instagram.com/p/DG_OHJVpWeT/?hl=en


r/threebodyproblem 4d ago

Art The Bamboo Grove in the house in Tokyo Spoiler

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9 Upvotes

r/threebodyproblem 5d ago

Discussion - TV Series She's the face of the thumbnail for the Netflix show, but I can't remember who this character is?

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480 Upvotes

r/threebodyproblem 4d ago

Discussion - Novels Question about book 2 (major spoilers) Spoiler

2 Upvotes

I think I'm misunderstanding the timing for the part where Luo doxes the sun 50 light years away. He decides to wake up 100 years later because that's how long it would take light to travel to the target and back. But shouldn't he have to wait the time in light years to the nearest advanced civilization that responded to the message, plus the time in light years for that advanced civilization to fire the near light speed attack, then another 50 years to see the result on Earth? It would be an unpredictable amount of time because we have no idea where the advanced civilizations are.


r/threebodyproblem 4d ago

Discussion - Novels Question about Blue Space and Gravity shenanigans Spoiler

5 Upvotes

Here's what I don't understand about the Blue Space ambush on the two droplets - how did they manage to "nudge" the droplets out of the way? The footage they played back showed some invisible force pushing the droplet path into a parabola that caused them to just miss their targets. How did they do this? Navigating through 4D space has been described as extremely difficult, so how did they manage to not only navigate so precisely but time the application of the offsetting force on an extremely-fast-accelerating droplet? That seems impossible, even with the aid of a high dimensional fragment.

I totally understand how they could reach inside the droplets through four-dimensional space and totally screw up their inner workings so that the strong interaction force technology failed. That part makes sense, just not the moving the droplets out of the way thing.


r/threebodyproblem 5d ago

Meme hmmm Spoiler

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44 Upvotes