Talk:The Andromeda Strain

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Contents 1 Odd Man Hypothesis 2 POV 3 Alkatolic? 4 Wrong thing discussed in article 5 Does not make sense 6 The epileptic scientist was female 7 Andromeda meant to impede space flight? 8 What happened to the hospitalized man? 9 akatolic

[edit] Odd Man Hypothesis

I am sure that, in the book, each character is actually tested for reliability, rather than their "score" being extrapolated from different groups of people as described here. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 138.38.32.84 (talk • contribs) 4 March 2006.

The discussion of variance impacting the protocol was well-stated. However, at the risk of being facetious, I wanted to point out that Marion Jones doesn't run faster than most men because of any naturally-occurring variance; rather, it's because of the many, many steroid injections she's given herself. --35th and Shields 03:43, 14 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] POV

The PoV in this article is so horribly blatant ... and I haven't even read the book. --ZBrisk 23:10, 29 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Alkatolic?

I'm sorry, but the baby was basic, not Alkatolic. There is no such word. Not as far as I know. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.103.134.110 (talk • contribs) 1 October 2006.

It's the word Michael Crichton used in his novel. See Chapter 27. Scientific and technical words are often not found in popular dictionaries such as Merriam-Webster, Oxford, etc. —Quicksilver^{T @} 04:35, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

I believe the word used in the novel is "alkalotic", not "alkatolic" Mathnerd314 23:53, 12 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Wrong thing discussed in article

It is clear from the article that the contributors have been discussing The Andromeda Strain (film), not The Andromeda Strain (book). The article makes references to character names and events that only took place in the motion picture. These references need to be clarified, corrected or removed. —Quicksilver^{T @} 05:12, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Does not make sense

There are a couple of things that do not make sense in the article.

"At the end of the movie "The Andromeda Strain" floats over the Pacific Ocean and is carried by artificaly seeded rain into the sea where the ocean salts will destroy it. The last movie teaser shows the "Strain" dissolving into computer numbers which stop at "601"-a computer number which tells too much information at the same time."

What does it mean that the strain dissolves into computer numbers? Also, how does "601" give too much information.

"...Andromeda has mutated into a form that no longer turns blood to powder. It degrades rubber gaskets..." "An epilogue to the novel reveals that a spacecraft has burned up on reentry as its polymer-based heat shielding had failed. All spaceflight attempts will be discontinued until further notice. This suggests that the Andromeda organism had been aimed at Earth to curtail any attempts to explore space."

The strain did not mutate until it was brought down to Earth, so the effect that it had on the spacecraft (attacking polymers) could not have been predicted by the aliens that supposedly sent it to Earth. Also, polymers are not necessary for the outside of a spacecraft. If spacecraft were covered with a non-polymer material, they would be unaffected. -- Kjkolb 08:28, 6 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] The epileptic scientist was female

The scientist who zoned out and missed the slide that could kill Andromeda was female.She was the team member with epilepsy. I noticed the article referred to her as male in more than one instance. 24.5.201.14 10:12, 4 December 2006 (UTC)Dec. 4, 2006

Only in the movie, the character was male in the book, so the article is correct.

[edit] Andromeda meant to impede space flight?

Where in the book is this suggested?

As I recall the Andromeda strain, as put in the book, was an Earth organism which for some reason migrated to the upper part of the atmosphere and mutated in order to survive in that hostile environment.

Now my two cents: Even if it was the original purpose of the Andromeda strain, what if we humans didn't develop polymers and instead we developed something else? Big "D'oh!" for those aliens.

Made with recycled electrons and HTML by N. Macchiavelli 21:11, 3 January 2007 (UTC)

I don't remember that from the book either, and it's original research otherwise. Tag it or remove it pending a specific source, I'd say. -- nae'blis 16:25, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

In the epilogue, a manned spacecraft (Andros V)'s heat shield fails and burns up on reentry. Given Andromeda's properties, the implication is there. RahadyanS 16:37, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

No, the implication is that Andromeda is responsible for the heat shield's failure. Nowhere in the book or film, IIRC, does it mention alien origins or intention. An interview with Crighton might prove me wrong, but again, we need a source... -- nae'blis 21:33, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

Just to make sure, I re-read my copy last night. You might recall that halfway in the book, a plane crashes after flying over the Piedmont area...all of her plastics just crumbled to dust before the pilot's eyes. Whatever implication, if any, might be we unleashed something we can't control. And that I feel would be more in line with Mr. Chrichton's outlook on tech.

Now, Mr. Chrichton himself could clarify this one, as Nae'blis points out. Somebody has a way to reach him?

Anyway, somebody else took notice and (i hope it was the article's author) changed the article.

Cheeri-o.... N. Macchiavelli 22:32, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] What happened to the hospitalized man?

There were originally 5 people to be placed on "Zed Kappa" status, what happened to Christian Kurke?

I wonder why Crichton chose to introduce a character that we would never meet?

The only influence I can think of that Kurke had would be to make the Odd Man Hypothesis amusing applied to the 4 remaining scientists' situation.

Reference these:

List of people- Ch.5 +2pages

Mention of hospitalization- Ch.5 +18pages

Character introduction- Ch.5 +19pages

-Snapizzle 18:47, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

His name was first mistyped in the summons, so the system put him on hold.

Then later fell down with apendicitis.

I'm speaking from memory but tonight I'll check my copy and make sure.

Hope this clears things up

Cheeri-o.... N. Macchiavelli 01:21, 8 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] akatolic

is a word that means blood ph is abnormally high... so basic —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 35.11.246.63 (talk) 22:23, 16 March 2007 (UTC).