Top Scientists Freak Out Over New Documentary-Questioning Copernican Principle- Which They Appeared In!

RESUBMITED: This story disappeared from the server. I discovered this 6/21/2014, and resubmitted it.

In a previous article, I reported on a new documentary, The Principle, which discusses recent evidence questioning the Copernican Principle. Many eminent scientists were interviewed for the film, including Lawrence Krauss, Michio Kaku, Max Tegmark, Julian Barbour, and George Ellis. The film was narrated by Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway of Star Trek). All of them signed releases, were paid, and agreed to be interviewed for a film that would address controversial as well as main stream cosmological ideas. All of them interviewed before the Planck satellite returned its results in 2013 (except Max Tegmark who came for a second interview after the results were released).

When the trailer was put up in December 2013, things were quiet for a while, but suddenly in April 2014, there was a media fury (Google search “Krauss Mulgrew geocentrism”). Media outlets from Rawstory to Time to Der Spiegel were onto the story. It started when Lawrence Krauss denounced the movie on Slate, followed immediately by Kate Mulgrew claiming she was not a geocentrist, and apologizing to her Star Trek fans for her involvement! Of course none of the denouncers had even seen the movie, so it is not clear what they were denouncing. It turns out they were denouncing a movie that a minor Catholic blogger stated was trying to prove geocentrism. In fact geocentrists were interviewed in the documentary, which would make sense in a piece about the Copernican Principle, especially given the obsevations that are discussed (correlations of the universe at large with the earth). Nevertheless, this led to the movie being known as the “most reveiwed film ever by reviewers who had never seen it”. The media blitz proclaimed, without consulting obvious sources (such as the producers), that the scientists and Kate Mulgrew were tricked into interviewing for the movie.

There are two interesting facets to this event. Why would the scientists interview, cash their checks, and go on with their lives for three years, then suddenly make this an issue? The producers believe that the media storm was ignited by two causes. The first was the intervention of the Catholic blogger, which embarrassed Lawrence Krauss. Second, and more interestingly, is the fact that most of the interviews were done before the release of the Planck satellite results in March 2013. As explained in the previous article, and explained in more depth in these linked articles, the Planck results packed a significant and unexpected blow to the Copernican Principle, practically a dogma to mainstream cosmology. For more on the ‘why’, see here.

The producers discuss these issues, plus show some of the release forms, and some very interesting clips from raw footage of the interviews on Michael Voris’ Mic’d Up show on May 28th. The story continues to change, and grow more interesting. The Principle will be released September 19th. Stay tuned for further updates.

Mic’d Up “The Principle, Under Attack”

Lawrence Krauss’ Release from (from the Mic’d Up Show), upper and lower portions.