On May 28th, the new Roland Emmerich film "The Day After Tomorrow" hits theaters, and it's already got NASA and NOAA talking. The film is the story of the new Ice Age. A paleoclimatologist (a scientist who studies the ways weather patterns changed in the past), tries to save the world from the effects of global warming... The plot focusses on New York, but the entire world is experiencing catastrophic hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, tidal waves, and floods while the temperature suddenly drops severely.
NASA has been worried about an alarmist response from the film and an onslaught of blame being hurled at Bush for his lack of attention to the growing world climate. The New York Times reports that it received excerpts from an email sent our to NASA employees on April 1, 2004.
"No one from NASA is to do interviews or otherwise comment on anything having to do with" the film, said the April 1 message, which was sent by Goddard's top press officer. "Any news media wanting to discuss science fiction vs. science fact about climate change will need to seek comment from individuals or organizations not associated with NASA."
A strange reaction Gothamist thinks. After all, they didn't have that type of reaction to Independence Day. Why does Mr. Emmerich enjoy making NYC disaster movies so much? Apparently, NASA has since relaxed a little and just decided they would not seek out discussion on the film. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that now they have created a media-worthy story, the discussion will in fact come to them.
Poor little NOAA. They are just happy to have any mention of them in the $125 million film.
"Any time anybody can focus on this little agency that nobody ever pays attention to and talk about what we do, that's a good thing," said Jordan St. John, the agency's director of public affairs.
Incidentally, the prospect of the films plot line coming true is not seen as very likely especially in the near future even though global warming and it's effects are very real. Perhaps if it did come true then we could host the winter olympics in NYC.
