MovieChat Forums > Europa Report (2013) Discussion > Was Katya a scientist?

Was Katya a scientist?

posted 9 years ago by luxerus
4 replies | jump to latest

When Katya does her Europa walk, she spends a lot of time just admiring the landscape. But we knew how limited in time she was. She kept being amazed by a light while she was told to come back. Then she went further away to see the stupid lights. The ice cracked and she dies. Ok, we all know that the ice cracked because there was some alien life, but why did she has to go towards the light? Why did she have to be so slow? She could have hit an area where the ice was too thin anyway; she should have stayed where it was safe. Basically, she did everything she could so she could die. And what's with the constant close-ups on her face? It's an obvious attempt at saving on the budget, and it's annoying. Why would a helmet camera point at her face, and not at what she's seeing.

In the end, what did having humans on board accomplish that sending a probe like Curiosity wouldn't have done? If our mission was simply to say "we did it", we could probably, right now, design such a poor mission, assuming the astronauts need little protection against radiation, and that they don't need to come back. Of course, that wouldn't be passed by the ethical committees.

[–] Vibradiant 9 years ago

First off, she was a marine biologist. While agreed about the excessive dramatic pausing right when radiation made time such a factor, fully disagreed about taking issue with her for following after the "stupid lights".

They had traveled for 22 months to be the very first human beings (and likely the last for some time) to crack the ice and look for life on Europa, when suddenly mysterious lights consistent with biological or chemical iridescence begin moving a short ways away.

She still had plenty of oxygen, and given her role as an explorer and scientist, how could she possibly not try to understand it, esp since they had absolutely NO reason to expect the ice to suddenly swallow her? Even the captain told her to investigate to a certain point.

In the end, particularly given what they found, a probe likely would've been overwhelmed by the interference which kept cutting off remote cameras, and gone dead to Earth. Moreso, when dealing with factors like cutting through thicker ice after landing slightly off course, scooping samples by hand when the probe was lost, and finally, sending back the vital data only after re-tweaking electrical systems BY HAND are all factors which required the human touch.

And then there is the thrill of discovery which a probe will NEVER be able to grant humanity.

Also, pretty certain the life on Europa was responsible for the frozen fuel line which prevented take-off, meaning the mission was actually well-designed, but unable to have predicted some form of intelligent life mucking up their works.

"I like to watch."  Chauncey Gardiner, 'Being There'

[–] satansassasin 9 years ago

Women...

[–] wakedemons3 8 years ago

Wow, she was amazed and awed by the foreign "planet" she was on that appeared to have sentient life? What an idiot.

Are you not entertained?!

[–] jorget22 8 years ago

lol