What is the three-body problem? The messy cosmic mathematics behind the Netflix TV show

In fact, Newton's two-body solution was only an approximation of the true solar system. In general, the influence of small objects – such as moons or other planets – on larger objects cannot be completely ignored. Instead of the two-body problem, our solar system consists of what is known as the n-body problem. Such problems generally cannot be solved using traditional mathematical techniques to give precise answers. Worse still, the paths predicted by such systems allow this to happen chaos.

Chaos, in the mathematical sense, does not refer to its common use of the term “chaos and disorganization”. Instead, it is often characterized by what mathematicians refer to as Sensitive dependence on initial conditions. This means that the behavior of two identical chaotic systems, which started out with very similar (but not exactly identical) initial conditions, will eventually become very different from each other.

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Although Newton's laws can give seemingly accurate predictions about the future formation of our solar system, the motions of celestial bodies within it are actually chaotic, because in reality there are more than two bodies. This planetary chaos occurs over long timescales, a chaos horizon that ranges from tens to hundreds of millions of years. So, eventually, a planet may be found on the other side of the solar system as today's calculations will determine. This is not due to any randomness in planetary dynamics – Newton's laws describe their motion well – but a consequence of the fact that the motion of three or more celestial bodies can be a chaotic system.

San Te Ren: Life With three suns

In the TV series, the bodies in question are three relatively massive suns from the Tri-Solar System – the original home of San Te Rin (which means “three-bodied people” in Mandarin). The chaos is more apparent. In their corner of the universe, the motion of suns is inherently chaotic and unstable, which means they face the possibility of being swallowed up by one of their own, or falling out of order altogether.

To communicate this complex scientific idea, two Oxford Five scientists play a very realistic video game. Participants address different historical human civilizations, all of which seem subject to the whims of the tripartite solar system. As the game progresses, some of the most famous scholars in history face the challenge of preparing political and religious leaders for the chaos.

Watch Jin, one of the Oxford Five, try to convince the Catholic Pope of the Three-Body Theory in the “Medieval” level of a virtual reality video game: