Climate Wall Concept Art by Armand Serrano |
UPDATE: Thank you to everyone who participated in this Science Discussion! In case you missed it, you can find the discussion thread on Reddit by following this link. We also recorded the entire thing, so you can find the full 2.5 hour video after the break, or on youtube here!
ORIGINAL: There are many unique aspects to Zootopia that go beyond its mere “City of Anthropomorphic Animals” premise. The city itself is designed around the idea of different species being able to coexist, even if they’re from very different parts of the world and have very different needs.
Enter the Climate Wall, which, aside from the mega-towers that make up the city’s central skyline, is one of the most distinctive and recognizable parts of the city. After all, how could we forget the awe in Judy’s eyes as the train passed through this superstructure from the searing heat of Sahara Square and into the frosty cold of Tundratown?
But let’s take a second and think about it further. How realistic is the Climate Wall? Sure, humans have adapted to all climates (aren’t clothes great?) so we don’t need anything like this in real life, but what if we did want to make something like this? Is it possible? Would it work? Would it work as intended? Would there be any unexpected ramifications?
Today, we’ll all get the chance to figure that out! With the help of real-world engineer J Shute Norway (Author of “Coming to Reward Them”,”Zootopia: the Original Plot“, and “A Lead Role in a Cage“), ZNN’s resident scientist, eng050599, will be hosting a live discussion on this topic this afternoon! They’ve both put a lot of work into this, so if you can be there, I highly recommend it!
You can join the discussion by following this link to the Zootopia Science Discussion Discord server! The call will be starting at Noon, Eastern Standard Time, so don’t miss out on this chance to geek out over hard science and tiny movie details all in one place!
What if we’re at work at the time of? Will the discussion be recorded and posted here later?
Yes we will!