James Cameron's sci-fi blockbuster, "Avatar", has gone on to become the second top-grossing film of all-time. With it being such as success, it's garnered a legion of diehard fans who have been talking about the film all over the Internet.
Still, the film leaves a lot of unanswered questions. Don't worry though, while browsing the web this week, we found an article written by Eric Ditzian for MTV, who did some research to find some answers (Get your own copy of this book over at Amazon.com for around $10).
After reading a copy of Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora, he compiled these answers and questions.
Here they are (thanks MTV.com):
Why Were Avatars Developed?
Genetically engineered from human and native Na'vi DNA, avatars were originally envisioned as mine workers who did not need protective gear to breathe the alien air. However, the cost proved prohibitive and not enough avatars could be produced. When Sully arrives, avatars are only used for scientific field work. Unlike the four-fingered and -toed Na'vi, avatars maintain five fingers and toes for reasons that are still not understood.
The History of the Resources Development Administration
The RDA is at the center of the story -- they're the ones plundering Pandora for resources and transporting folks through space -- but we don't get any backstory about how the company came to be. According to the book, the story of RDA's creation is a familiar one: Two founders borrow money from their folks and launch their business in a Silicon Valley garage. Just a few decades after its beginning in the early 21st century, RDA began construction of a global network of super-fast trains that allow workers to commute to work from thousands of kilometers away. From there, the trip to Pandora was just a quick 4.4 million light years.
How Long Have Humans Been On Pandora?
The guide puts the arrival of humans as several decades before the events of "Avatar" in 2154. After astronomers identified Pandora as an Earth-like world with intense magnetic properties, an unmanned research craft discovered a substance later dubbed "unobtanium": a naturally occurring superconductor that can be used as a powerful energy source. Granted monopoly mining rights to the resource, RDA built a ship called the ISV Venture Star to travel to Pandora and begin bringing unobtanium back to Earth.
Traveling to Pandora and Communicating with Earth
Now powered by unobtanium, RDA's 10 starships travel at 70 percent of light speed, resulting in a one-way trip that takes nearly six years. Conveniently, though, communication with Earth is instantaneous. The process, made possible through a deep understanding of quantum mechanics, was perfected in the decades prior to the events of "Avatar." But that doesn't mean folks on Pandora get to phone home all the time. The cost of sending a message is "approximately $7,500 per bit."
SourcE:Ballerstatus.com
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