The new film 'Interstellar' is being hailed for helping to bring theoretical physics into the mainstream. But, it also communicates unexpected lessons about innovation that are vitally important to executives, entrepreneurs, scientists and others.
The Film
This weekend, I took time to watch the new film Interstellar, which was directed by Christopher Nolan and executive produced by the well-regarded theoretical physicistKip Thorne. The film tells the tale of a group of astronauts tasked with finding a new home for humanity after a series of disasters renders the Earth uninhabitable. The explorers travel through a wormhole that allows them to examine a series of planets located in another galaxy, and in the vicinity of a Black Hole (featured in the image above).
I don't want to spoil the film too much for those who haven't seen it. But, I will say that Interstellar is a challenging and though-provoking movie. And, for a science nerd like me, an intellectual feast. While the movie's plot could have been improved, its visual exploration of established and speculative physics such as Einstein's Theory of Relativity and quantum gravity were first-rate and highly engaging.
4 Unexpected Innovation Lessons from Interstellar
I've thought a lot about the science presented in the film, with the help of Kip Thorne's excellent new book, The Science of Interstellar. But, as I turned the movie over in my mind, I came to realize that it unexpectedly communicates a number of essential lessons about what it takes to innovate successfully. I've described four of them below. Warning: I'll reveal a few plot details from the movie, but nothing you wouldn't learn from watching trailers or reading (spoiler-lite) reviews.
Innovation Requires Diversity
The world inhabited by physicists, computer scientists, researchers and technology innovators is very homogenous. It's tough for women, African Americans, Native Americans and people from other non-white male groups to break in and succeed in these arenas. But, it's been proven that diversity is an innovation booster. Bringing diverse (and highly-qualified) teams together to tackle tough problems has many benefits.
Interstellar is refreshing in that it highlights the accomplishments and brain power of a diverse group of engineers, mathematicians and others, as noted by the famed scientist, Neil deGrasse Tyson. A female physicist does the hard work of solving an essential equation. An African American scientist is an essential member of the crew and provides much-needed insights that play a big role in the film.
If you want to innovate, it's essential seek out and incorporate diverse perspectives.
Innovation Requires Passion
The scientists and engineers in Interstellar are passionate because they know the results of their work will determine the fate of humanity. And, the film displays the fruits of their passion. Craft that can reach space without the aid of rockets, super smart, adaptive computers that can aid humans and save lives and many more innovations.
Passion. If you don't have it, innovation is almost impossible.
Innovation Requires Imagination
In the Interstellar trailer, Matthew McConaughey's character complains that humankind has lost its spark, it's willingness to imagine life beyond the planet's surface. And, in a scene I found shocking and disturbing, it was revealed that the government had published textbooks filled with lies and half truths about major scientific accomplishments. (Unfortunately, this really happens. Ugh.)
Yet, although most people in the film had long given up on imagining a better world and future, a few at a secretive and underfunded NASA never stopped looking out at the stars.
Without imagination (and hope), innovation is much harder to achieve.
Innovation Requires Luck
One can look at Interstellar in two ways:
- The events of the movie were always going to happen (hint: the film's plot is a giant time loop)
- Humanity got really, really lucky
I'm going to go with the second option because without a whole lot of luck (and skill), the wormhole that allows for interstellar travel would have never been discovered, for example.*
Anyone who has successfully built anything will tell you that without a little luck, they would have never made it. We can't control everything. Whether it's fair or not, good fortune plays a role in whether we're able to achieve what we set out to do.
If you're interested in innovation, science, the relationship between humans and technology and more, I highly recommend that you watch (and re-watch) this film. I'm sure you'll learn as much as I did.
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