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thesquidkid · 5 months

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Who says science isn't exciting?

4x08 Missing my baby

I know that it has been a while since I last updated my science meta, life happened and I wasn't really in the mood to write. I also did a thesis in between, so I suppose I now have proper experience in writing a scientific paper.

Disclaimer: I am still not a biologist and it's been quite some time since I last watched the show, so please feel free to correct me if you see anything inaccurate. I also really like talking about science so if anything is unclear I will happily explain it in more details.

The first mention of science is Liz talking to Maria in the Wild Pony:

Liz: "There has to be a scientific explanation for how Alex is reaching out to you."

She then proceeds to explain her scientific theory:

"At first, I thought this was a resurgence of your powers, like a vision of Alex manifesting itself. But your brain scans match up with your last checkup, post-cure, which means this is not a vision. Alex is alive. And he's figuring out a way to communicate with you. We've seen versions of this before. You did it in the coma. Max talked to Rosa in the pod."

I should probably go ahead and say that this falls in the realm of science-fiction. Well, mostly. In reality, people in a coma can `communicate' with the outside world. More or less. Studies have shown that when talking to people in a vegetative state, asking them to perform certain tasks, the brain reacts in the same way it would for someone that is not in vegetative state. For example, when doctors asked a few yes-no questions to a patient in vegetative state, they found out that he knew where he was, what kind of program he enjoyed on TV, etc [x]. This was done by monitoring the brain activity of the patient and looking at the pattern in his brain activity.

This kind of research [x] allowed scientists to conclude that some comatose patients were conscious.

Going back to our lovely little alien show, we can argue that Maria communicating with Liz while in her coma is scientifically possible. However, Alex being in another dimension and communicating through with Maria is fiction.

(As a side note, Liz mentions a few time in that scene that it's all science, except it's not.)

Next, Liz and Shivani are doing science in Shivani's lab:

Liz: "The regenerative enzymes in the blood sample we brought back from New York... Isn't healing the diseased cells in our subject." Liz: "The fluid stimulates the proteins momentarily, but it isn't potent enough to sustain their viability."

As defined in my meta for 1x08 [x, x], an enzyme is a protein that accelerates a chemical reaction. Here, regenerative enzymes refers to enzymes that have the ability to regenerate their cofactors.

A cofactor (in biology) is a non-proteinic chemical compound that is required for enzymes to act as catalyst (i.e. to accelerate a chemical reaction) [x].

Now, from what I read on the internet, enzymes are used in cellular apoptosis, which is a programmed cell death (happening naturally in our body, I talked about it more in my meta for 2x02 [x]), and the regenerative aspect of enzymes comes into play with regards to their cofactors. Furthermore, I have found a few sources about regenerating dead cells (namely after injuries) that mention enzymes as `executioner' rather than reconstructive. In other words, it appears that enzymes (regenerative or not) are present when it comes to killing cells, but not resuscitating them [x, x].

So, really, it's not that surprising that Liz's enzymes aren't healing the deceased cells...

The next bit of science happening in Shivani's lab is purely fictive as it revolves around the cracked pod that Shivani has:

Shivani: "The viscous liquid we developed was formulated using the fluid from within [the pod]. It contains restorative properties identical to the ones that you've been researching." Liz: "In gene-sequencing your work, I found micromolecular inconsistencies, and this crack explains why. Oxygen is changing the fluid's chemical composition. In order to continue testing, we need a pod that's in working condition."

As Michael points out in 2x03, the pods keep the person inside in stasis by regenerating the cells at the rate they decay. He also says "this current will speed up the regeneration". So, by regenerating the cells at the rate they decay, the pod would also (slowly) regenerate the cells that are already dead. Namely, it would regenerate the dead cells at the rate that the alive cells are decaying, since the pod wouldn't select which cells to regenerate, and which to not.

Personally, I am not a big fan of the pods being the answer the everything, namely here providing a regenerative cure, especially when we saw Liz figure it all out using science before, and since her research is about vascular regeneration.

The part on oxygen altering the fluid's chemical composition is accurate to what we saw before, with Noah's pod. Hence, this would fall into the realm of science within the fiction, since at least the results are consistent.

We then see Rosa and Maria trying to communicate with Alex at the Wild Pony. This is once again clearly fiction, but they use science words that I thus will look into. We start with (another) mention of frequencies:

Rosa: "I can hear the frequency of Alex's DNA in the hair, but... nowhere else."

At first, the mention of frequencies in the show was very nice and (mostly) accurate. Then, it became too much (as @angrycowboy pointed out about 4x13)

DNA does have frequency, and it particular it generates a wave that propagates in the direction of the magnetic field vector [x]. Magnetic field vector refers to the direction and the dimension of the magnetic field. These magnetic waves are what allow the cells to communicate with each other.

It is also possible to detect the frequency of DNA, namely it is around 20 GHz. Note that 20 GHz falls into the domain of super high electromagnetic frequency, which is the same frequency range as satellite communication and microwave ovens. Suppose Rosa can hear the frequency of Alex's DNA in his hair. This would mean that she is able to hear satellite communication happening nearby, and considering there is a military base not too far away (I don't know anything about actual Roswell geography, but the show does mention the base a few times), she would be able to pick up on those conversations. Useful espionnage tool.

Rosa does mention something about Isobel teaching her how to listen:

Rosa: "Isobel taught me that in order to silence all the noise, you have to find a place inside yourself where you feel safe and calm."

And in real life, radios can tune to a particular frequency (hence how you only hear a single radio channel and not everything at once). However, a radio is also able to detect other frequencies, hence how you can switch channel. The reason why you do not hear the other radio channels when you switch on your radio is that radio emitters in a region have an agreement to distinguish each frequency. This means that the frequency of each channel has to be sufficiently distinct.

DNA is different for everyone, hence it's frequency differs. Since Alex, Maria, Rosa, and any one else who came to the Wild Pony are not twins, Rosa would be able to distinguish Alex from the other DNA frequencies.

However, there are three things I find strange. First, I am assuming Alex was at the Pony before disappearing, so there should be traces of his DNA left, hence Rosa would hear somewhere else. Secondly, the choice of detecting DNA at the Wild Pony is weird, in my opinion, since there are many more frequencies that Rosa has to tune out, as it is presented to be a popular bar.

Thirdly, as much as DNA can be extracted from hair, there is no guarantee that DNA is always available in a hair sample. Namely, the DNA is present at the root of the hair [x]. Without the root of the hair, the procedure to get DNA is much more complex. So, for the sake of the argument, I am assuming that Rosa has the root of Alex's hair.

But, even having the root of the hair, typical DNA testing that is done in forensics requires an electron microscope (which uses a beam of electron as a light source, and thus has a better resolution than a typical light microscope [x]), since it is the only way to visualise the small bits of DNA. The second test is through mitochondrial DNA, but such a test will not distinguish between siblings, as they share the same mitochondrial DNA profile [x]. DNA testing from hair also requires more than 1 hair to have an accurate test [x].

To conclude on the topic of hair DNA and frequency, despite DNA having a frequency, and hair having DNA, I doubt the accuracy of Rosa's test, since too little DNA is present in a single strand of hair.

The next bit of science is also said by Rosa:

Rosa: "Energy rises from the ground into your feet, and since consciousness is a tangible form of energy connecting us to all matter, astrophysicists believe that... meditation could open you up to speaking over universes, even dimensions."

I am not going to touch on this topic, other than say that Rosa probably meant astrologists and not astrophysicists. Astrology is the field of divinatory practices, recognised as a pseudo-science (it used to be a science until a more scientific theory came along), while astrophysics is the study of astronomical objects using physics and chemistry. Meditation falls into the category of astrology, not astronomy.

The next two pieces of science (the last ones for this episode) are all between Liz and Shivani, during different scenes.

Shivani: "Why atomize the fluid into a mist?" Liz: "I made slight genetic modifications to accelerate enzyme inhibitors for swift cell regeneration. Molecules, they travel faster in a gaseous state than in liquid form." Shivani: "If this cure eradicates the alien virus, could it be repurposed to fight off human illness?" Liz: "Like a universal vaccine? Interspecies scaling at this level would be a huge leap."

So. Liz's first sentence is already hurting my brain.

An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that attaches itself to an enzyme and stops its activity [x].

Since enzymes are used in process of cell death, inhibiting its activity would then slow this process. In fact, inhibitors can be used to start the process of cell regeneration (in some circumstances, although I am not sure I understood what those circumstances were precisely) [x]. So, if Liz accelerates the inhibitors, it could lead to an acceleration of the regeneration process (or at least, make it begin faster).

It is true that molecules travel faster as gas than liquid. In fact, molecules are always moving, but in a solid they are moving so slow that it can be considered static. In a liquid, the molecules glide past each other, and hence are faster in movement than in a sold. In a gas the molecules are further apart from each other, and move faster [x].

Shivani then asks if a vaccine to cure all human illnesses is possible. Liz is right with her response, that interspecies vaccines are tricky to work with.

We first need to note that interspecies contamination is possible (coronaviruses are example of this). However, interspecies vaccination is not as simple; consider the infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in poultry, for which different vaccines have to be created for the different species of poultry. Even species which are similar (poultry for instance) would reach very differently to the same vaccine, and would not be offered the same protection [x]. So, despite humans and oasians being similar, a vaccine that would protect both is also unlikely.

Furthermore, a universal vaccine in the sense of a single vaccine that would protect against everything in scientifically improbably. The point of a vaccine is to inject into the human body a small dose of a virus to teach the body how to defend itself against it. Therefore, a universal vaccine would have to consist of a small dose of every virus known to mankind, which would very likely kill the patient. Imagine having your body fight against all the viruses ever.

So what Shivani is suggesting is rather improbable.

The final bit of science is later in the episode, still in Shivani's lab:

Shivani: "What if we altered the protein receptors to perform some, not all, of their functions? If we folded the principle alpha helices and stabilized the covalent bonds between the amino acids..."

(I won't go into the rest of that scene, since it's mostly about ethics)

If I am being honest, the sentence "altered the protein receptors to perform some, not all, of their functions" confuses me. So I am ignoring it for the sake of my mental health (also because I don't understand what the `their' is referring to).

The next bit of science that Shivani mentions is "principle alpha helices".

An alpha helix is a sequence of amino acids in a protein that are twisted in a helix shape [x]. This structure is the most common type of secondary structure in proteins.

In everything that I've read online about alpha helices, there isn't really a notion of principle alpha helix. So, I don't really know why this is specified by Shivani here (probably to make the sentence sound science-y...).

Folding in chemistry is the process by which a molecule assumes its shape. Protein folding refers to the shape that is assumed by a specific sequence of amino acids in a protein [x].

So, from what I understand, folding the protein would give it its alpha helix structure, but folding the alpha helix structure doesn't really mean anything...

A covalent bond is a chemical bond that involved sharing electrons to form electron pairs between atoms [x].

The different structures in a protein are attached via covalent bonds [x], so indeed, there are covalent bonds between some amino acids (the ones that are found in two different structures). Alpha helices are considered to be the stabler structure of a protein, but their stability, from what I've read, is not quite due to the covalent bonds. So, again, despite the different elements of the sentence making sense, they are quite confusing and lack proper meaning when being put together.

Liz and Shivani share another scene together in Shivani's lab, at the end of the episode where Liz breathes the mist. However, this scene does not contain much science in it, so I'm stopping my analysis here.

#im back!!#idk for how long lmao but i was thinking about this the other day and i had time off yesterday to work on it #roswell new mexico #rnm #rnm 4x08 #thesquidkid does meta

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dr-lizortecho · 1 year

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the thing is Echo is love at first sight (for Max), which is a trope that I tend to strongly dislike, however, it works so well for them. Because it’s not that Max fell in love with Liz on that playground at the age of seven, it’s not that he saw the woman she would become, or that he somehow made some sort of alien imprint on her. It’s he was a scared kid, a kid who’d only been given scraps of kindness his whole life, who didn’t know if he could trust the adults in his life (however nice Anne and Dave probably were, he had leaps and bounds to go before associating them with any form of love or safety)

And in strolls this human girl, who shows him the first genuine act of kindness he’s received. The first person who gave him something with no expectations and without asking for anything in turn. His first connection to Earth and humanity. Because Max didn’t fall in love at first sight with Liz, he fell in love with life, with humanity.

#sorry sorry #I’m working on a meta about his codependency issues and got distracted #cause it’s a beautiful narrative truly #roswell new mexico #rnm echo #ignore me as ramble

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angrycowboy · 2 years

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you know what i have enjoyed about this season?

the different ways michael refers to alex.

my boyfriend.

the man i love.

my soulmate.

like... is it really out of the realm of possibility that he adds “my husband” to the list before the season is over?

in 4x01, even after just moving in with alex officially, michael still asks max how he knew it was the right time to propose to liz. but what this season has shown is that max didn’t actually have the right moment. twice the proposal didn’t happen. the moment wasn’t right.

because what michael fears is a fear that he’s had since childhood. that he’s never going to be enough for someone. he was left behind at the group home. he was bounced around foster families until he was homeless and lived in his truck. and now, for the first time in his life, someone is giving him that home he’s been yearning for. alex is proving to him, time and time again, that he is choosing michael. that he will always choose michael.

but that fear michael has, the need to get back to the planet he left behind, the belief that there may be family there who want him, who love him - he’s still struggling to let it go, and to grow past it. because that dream has been such a huge part of his life, and who he is as a person, it was never going to disappear immediately. it’s now a work in progress.

and it’s not that he doesn’t trust alex now. they’ve taken those steps where alex has expressed in his words how important michael is to him (”you are the one piece i cannot go through life without” and “what i can’t live without is you.”) and has shown it in the two of them beginning to officially cohabitate, by alex giving michael a house key. he stresses that the house is michael’s, not just his. i wrote a little about this after s3, about how alex’s house is the grown up version of the shed. it’s their safe place together.

in 2x06, alex admits that he used to believe they’d end up together. it’s a long overdue final break-up for them, but it reveals something else about them. neither of them have ever stopped loving one another, but alex has finally made the revelation that michael had back in 1x13 and 2x01 that they needed to find a new way to love each other. that the way they were before wasn’t working in a sustainable way for the kind of relationship they wanted.

and then 3x09, after michael pulls alex off the ledge, after everything has calmed down, there’s a moment where they’re in the exam room together. and there’s a tension in the air - the expectations that they still hold, particularly alex. he still feels the need to fix everything his father broke, the responsibility still falling on his shoulders, and this episode was really the moment it truly could have killed him.

alex: i wanted to fix this for you. i just wanted to clear it up so that-

michael: so we could have a “normal picket fence life.” any way you slice it, manes, our picket fenced yard is gonna hold aliens.

followed by:

alex: i guess i just couldn’t get the fear of the rocky path we have ahead of us out of my mind.

michael: i spoke to sanders about the same thing. he said “you don’t walk away from a broken engine. you find a way to make it purr again.”

and while the larger reference here is to the two of them working on the lockhart machine to make it work correctly, and remove project shepherd’s interference - this is also talking about their relationship. for years after the shed, their relationship was broken, and neither of them knew how to fix it. it took time, and energy, and communication for them to get back on the path to the point where they have this conversation, where they both are eager and ready to put the work into themselves and relationship to move forward. they want to be together, they both want a life together - they just had to figure out how to make the pieces fit first.

(i know we can’t take word of god to mean anything, but something that i always thought was important to the overall arcs of the ships was something CAM said way back during s1, i believe. that these characters are adults, they’re exploring and discovering and trying to figure out if they want to spend the rest of their lives together. and i think especially in the case of echo and malex, when placed next to their journeys throughout the seasons, is important to keep in mind.)

we heard alex finally talk about his plans for the future a bit in 3x08 (”i joined deep sky for you”) which also goes along with why he joined the air force at 17 (”after what my dad did to you - i wanted to win battles.”) and we hear him re-iterate it in 3x09 - “i spent a year cleaning up my father’s messes and i made sure that not one of them touched michael.” for alex, it’s always been about carving out that safe space, first for himself and then expanded at seventeen to include michael.

but what happened in s4, and one of the reasons it angered me that the show had michael apologizing (particularly to liz and max) so quickly is... michael expects people to leave him. it’s why finding a losing nora hit him so hard. it’s why losing max on top of that caused the worst spiral we’ve seen for him. even in 3x01, michael admitted that despite maria breaking up with him, despite alex taking off for a year without a word - he was still happy because he had max and isobel. it was enough.

so for a moment, if you will, imagine that in that time between learning alex is missing and alex reaching out to connect with him to assure him i’m still here there is a moment where michael thinks now alex has left him... again. and this time, possibly for good. right when they’d gotten to this good place, right when they’d made this huge step towards the life they’d always dreamed of having together. something else came along and tore them apart, and got in the way. it’s the shed and noah all over again.

“i lost sight of the home i was trying to build with him” is just... he’s beating himself up for thinking that the dream he’s held onto since he was a child compares to the real thing in front of him. the person that loves him, and chooses him day after day, who wants to build a future with him.

maria once told alex, “home doesn’t have to mean a white picket fence house and a family - it can be a person.” and for alex, that person has been michael. this is long before anyone really knows about malex, before malex was ever really able to see what a them could be. before alex started to push back against his father, where he began his own journey of self-discovery and acceptance.

so after all this, it doesn’t feel like it would be out of left field for malex to get engaged or even married. the two of them, together and apart, have been working on answering that question - if this is what they want - since we first met them in the pilot. through every up and down, we’ve seen them grow closer and grow apart, but we’ve never seen them truly choose someone else over each other.

and maybe, in a way, michael asking alex to marry him is a bit of a trauma response - but after everything they’ve been through. the times they’ve been pulled apart and external forces have said that they can’t make it work, they’ve still dug their heels in and picked each other. over and over again. tezca sent alex to an alternate dimension, and alex still found a way to communicate with michael. like kyle said - that’s powerful. and in the end if an external force trying to tear them apart is the thing that makes them both hold on a little tighter? i’m okay with that.

and hey, who knows. maybe alex will be the one to propose to michael. to see just how done alex is with being away from michael as we’ve seen michael is with being away from alex.

“like a piece of alien tech, i don’t like being parted from my alien.��

#roswell new mexico #malex #alex manes #michael guerin #malex meta #notso writes meta #i guess this can appropriately be called #notso's malex gets married agenda

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salmonthestoryteller · 2 years

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Huh. I didn't realize people felt like Echo had a "bad ending" in the series finale. I know I'm not much of an Echo fan, but I didn't see anything sad about what happened? I guess it just made sense to me because it seemed to match their arc perfectly.

From the start Liz's story was about her learning not to run away. To trust that the people she loved wouldn't disappoint her and would return to her. To move past the fear her mother's abandonment and Rosa's death left her with.

From the start Max's story was to learn to stop hiding from who and what he was. To accept his alienness, to stop being afraid of his powers and the responsibility that came with them. To stop trying to be "just a guy from Roswell."

Max going to Oasis is him accepting who he is - it's him saying I'm no longer afraid of this. This is a part of who I am, and this is my responsibility and I accept that. Liz letting him go is proof that she is no longer haunted by the past. She is not afraid to let Max go to Oasis because she knows he will return to her. She's not running anymore.

They're literally engaged. He promises to marry her when he returns and we know that's going to happen. I know we didn't see it happen - but we know it will.

(Ironically, this was Isobel's ending in the source material. Trevor returns to their homeplanet to help there with the promise to return.)

Maybe I'd feel differently if I was more attached to them as a ship, but I'm not sure I would.

#roswell new mexico #rnm echo #meta #character thoughts #episode thoughts #discourse #i guess #spoilers

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alex-guerin · 2 years

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Michael and Alex, I swear...these two....they're gonna end up being that ridiculously adorable, sweet little old couple that still holds hands and are still just as in love with each other at 90 as they were when they were 17. They'll still be kissing and staring at each other lovingly and embarrassing their kids with how much they love each other and showing how much they love each other because they spent too much time not able to do it that they spend the rest of their lives making up for it.

Their grandkids will just watch them in awe as they dance in the kitchen and Alex sings for Michael and just be fascinated with how different their PawPaw and Poppie are from the other grandparents around -- and not because they're both men, but because of how freely they show their affection for each other and still tease each other and PawPaw gives Poppie certain looks and sasses at him. And Poppie just looks back at him in exasperation and goes, "Y'know what, Manes....." and they dissolve into laughter and smiles and kisses.

And when the day finally comes when one goes, the other kisses them softly and promises to follow them wherever they go and days later does exactly that because they haven’t been and can’t be apart from each other for more than a couple of days in over 50 years and they aren't about to start now.

#Malex meta #Malex #Michael Guerin #Alex Manes #Roswell New Mexico

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maxortecho · 2 years

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One thing I do dislike about the handling of S2-4 Echo is how it’s leaned into this idea that Max is a small-town hick holding Liz back from achieving her true potential.

Because, how?

Liz had already lost her job when she arrived in S1. Liz got a high-paying scientist position in 2x13, and then on her own chose to leave it (while she was single) because she didn’t agree with its corporate/commercial values. What career is Max holding her back from?

The only reason Liz has access to alien science (the stuff she’s really interested in) is because of Max. If anything, Liz’s science opportunities have expanded because of him. I think the one time everything aligned for Liz and her career (ie she had a steady job she could publicly acknowledge while having access to do her own alien experiments) was when she worked with Dr Avila in S1… a job she had while in a relationship with Max, and a job she lost for reasons unrelated to Max (small town protesting).

Max has also repeatedly made it clear that he supports Liz’s career, and that he would be ready to pack up and leave if she wants to leave Roswell. But deep down she seems to want to stay in Roswell.

So what gives? Why do we keep circling this idea that he’s holding her back? Because he doesn’t consent to a free-for-all with his DNA? Is that why he’s an “obstacle”?

But anyway this was one of the few criticisms I had of 4x09, that we were once again having this theme of Max not being smart enough to keep up with Liz or that her having a relationship with him negatively impacts her career.

For me this issue stems from S2 when it first started feeling mishandled. I can remember at least four times in S2 when the show tried to present Max as “too small for the brilliant scientist”—the Isobel&Liz scene in 2x01, Helena’s comments to Liz in 2x07, Helena’s comments to Max in 2x07, and Charlie’s comments to Liz in 2x08. It was like a change in gears, after S1 had presented them both with keen minds.

And I remember being frustrated back in S2 that the show was giving Liz such an incredibly outdated conflict for a female character (“Will she choose love or her career?!”) when this should be a non-issue and when there were bigger, more interesting conflicts they could’ve explored for her. One of the things I loved about 3x13 was Liz’s realisation/speech “it’s you and the science”—that for Liz she could have both love and science in her life, and that Max himself presented wonders to Liz both in terms of love and science.

So it’s disappointing that we’ve circled back to it again in S4, but particularly in 4x09 with Dark!Liz. Because despite that 3x13 speech, we’re playing with the same conflict. And yeah, it’s still an outdated one.

#roswell new mexico #rnm spoilers #rnm echo #liz x max #echo #meta #s4 #4x09 #ep: wild wild west

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castalianspring · 2 years

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I only just started watching this show, so I barely go here, but these are the thoughts that keep me awake at night and I might as well type them out so they get out of my head before they're probably jossed on Monday night.

Ok, so it looks like Theo is going to guide Dallas through whatever mindscape/alien dimension/alien consciousness thing he, Alex, and presumably Bonnie are trapped in, right? Unless that wasn't really Theo, but let's say it is, or at least his consciousness/spirit.

So, what if Nora is the one guiding Alex? What if she's the one helping him to reach out to Maria? Bonding with her future son-in-law? Showing him how he'll be able to help the others defeat Tezca, Jones, et al?

Season 3 already established how much Alex has Nora in his thoughts, even if it's an idealized version of her he wants to preserve for Michael. And how much he still subconsciously feels he isn't really supposed to touch alien things. How much would I give to see him get the chance to actually know her, to experience more alien stuff and maybe even team up with Dallas for it (they're already besties, I'm putting that out there in the universe). For Michael to come to the rescue and get to have a conversation with her as well. For them to have her blessing. If they're going to be apart for so much of the season, then let Alex interact with alien stuff on his own and have some semblance of an arc during it so that he's not just a pawn or simply leverage to be used against Michael.

Idk, I just want that. Nora's in this season, and she hasn't been in any of the flashbacks yet. So maybe her story could be helping Alex get back to Michael. The whole thing gives me Stargate "ascension" vibes, so let Nora be Oma Desala and let Alex be a badass and Daniel Jackson his way out of this.

#roswell new mexico #rnm meta #malex #alex manes #i love him so much #give him cool shit to do

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ober-affen-geil · 2 years

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Whatever I do this morning I'm definitely not going to think about Michael having a small crisis about moving in with Alex and reverting to sex to deflect from it.

No, I'm going to think about Dallas being the only one who could understand Michael's feeling of alienation because they had similar foster experiences.....wait.

No no. I'm going to think about Max and Liz respectively making themselves small for the other but both ultimately being on the same page about being uncomfortable with "normalcy"........no wait.

Actually I'm going to think about Isobel's crisis with Anatsa mirroring Michael's with Maria and that she might not be able to tell Anatsa on her own terms like she couldn't with Noah........hold on.

No, I'll think about Maria losing something she's had from childhood without really knowing and finding out because Dallas, a relative newcomer, did something she used to be able to...............no dammit.

I'll definitely think about Kyle retreating to his medical WAIT FUCK

#roswell season 4 #roswell new mexico #my roswell meta #a riley special

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metaphoric-aliens · 1 year

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i am asking you to go listen to Unicorn by The Lone Bellow bc every line is malex related peace and love thank you. here are the lyrics:

#malex #michael guerin #roswell new mexico #alex manes #roswell nm #roswell nm meta #roswell new mexico meta #music #the music on this show is superior

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thesquidkid · 1 year

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Who says science isn't exciting?

4x07 Dig me out

I need to start off by saying that the science in this episode is only between Shivani and Liz, so if nothing makes sense, know that I really did try my best to understand and translate what is going on.

Also, the usual disclaimer still holds: I am not a biologist, simply a maths nerd. And English is not my first language, so apologies in advance if I word things weirdly. I am also writing this in the evening, after a long day of uni. Have fun reading!

During diner at the restaurant with Liz, Rosa and Shivani, we have the following dialogue between Liz and Shivani (I find it very rude that Liz completely ignored Rosa during the meal, but that is not the focus of this meta):

Liz: "Wait, so... we were looking for a way to attack damaged tissue. Right? [...] Okay, but fractals, they're all over the place. In cell physiology, and in human anatomy. I mean, what if we used that same pattern?"

Shivani: "We might be better able to holistically mitigate damage."

Liz: "Not only that. We could regenerate the cells altogether. I mean, you have this new cryogenics company, right? An immersive chamber might be exactly what we need to undo the damage that has altered these cells. We could flood our subjects' circulatory systems with bio-engineered organic compounds that are in a cryogenic..."

Shivani: "Pod"

So. Let's begin from the start. As Liz says, we indeed have fractals everywhere. And I would be a bad mathematician if I didn't start by talking about fractals in maths (this is purely an excuse to nerd out over maths and forget about biology for a moment). So, by definition, a fractal is a geometric shape containing detailed structure at arbitrarily small scales. Many fractals appear to have a similar pattern at increasingly smaller scales (like the Mandelbrot set, which is given in the picture and gif at the end of this post, after the cut, taken from Wikipedia)

Fascinating isn't it?! This is just one of the most famous examples of fractal patters (and I may or may not have attempted a few times to figure out how to plot it myself). Fractals don't just appear in mathematics, but also everywhere around us! For instance, some species of algae, lightning bolts, and DNA all contain fractals. So this was the fun part of that conversation with Liz and Shivani. Now, let's have a look at the less fun part:

Shivani: "We might be able to holistically mitigate damage."

As I am not a native English speaker, I had to look up what mitigate meant because I wasn't sure. Mitigate means to make something less severe, serious, or painful.

Holistically (in medicine, which is what I'm assuming they are talking about) means "in a way that treats the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather just the symptoms of a disease." So, here, Shivani is suggesting that they might be able to (using fractals) reduce the damage on the whole person (i.e. not just their body). Which, when it comes to minimising damage in medicine is not something that is always so easy to do. So, fractals would (according to Shivani) allow them to minimise the damage done to Shivani's daughter and Max on a global scale.

Then, Liz mentions that they could use fractals to regenerate cells.

Is regenerating cells using fractals something that is scientifically possible? According to some papers that I've read, the answer it yes. The idea behing this method is that since cells have a fractal pattern to them, we can use fractal dimensions, and their repeating pattern at the wanted scale, to influence how new cells grow. This can be done by introducing vasculature (= vascular system of a part of the body) to the target cells. The scientists use computer programms to recreate that vasculature, by generating the wanted fractal pattern to insert to the cell.

So, this was a little explanation of how fractals can be used in the regeneration of cells. Which, is definitely something that Shivani would have the ressources to do and to finance. Now, let's look into the next science fact mentioned in this conversation:

Cryogenics: in physics, it is the science behind the production and behaviour of materials at a very low temperature.

The special branch of cryogenics applied to biology is called cryobiology, which usually has the purpose of cryopreservation. As far as I can read online, the use of cryogenics in cell regeneration is mostly about preserving the cells in their current state.

So, in terms of Liz trying to regenerate Max and Michael's alien cells, my guess is that she could freeze their current cells so that they don't degrade more, before finding a cure? To be honest, all of the papers I've read about cryogenics and cells talk about preservation, so I can't really see any other use (since, again, not a biologist).

However, for Shivani's case, cryopreservation is very accurate, for the lack of a better word. Her daughter is in a cryogenic pod (as seen in 4x06, and as mentioned by Shivani in the above conversation), wich mimicks the preservation of the alien pod, by keeping her cells in stasis.

So, in conclusion, in my opinion, the use of cryogenics makes sense when we consider Shivani, but not when we consider Liz. And since Liz does not know about Shivani's daughter, I will assume that this is Liz's way of keeping the alien secret, by not revealing that she too posssesses a statis pod, only not a cryogenic one.

And this is all for the science in this epsiode. All in all, I would say that it is human science, namely because I could find published articles which back up what both Liz and Shivani are saying. Sorry again for the delay between this meta and the previous one, hopefully the next one will come sooner :))

And here are the pictures/gifs of the Mendelbrot set, taken from Wikipedia, and put behind a cut because some people may find the gif disturbing:

And since I am a big nerd, I tried coding the Mandelbrot set on Python. I did manage to get the first picture, but sadly the zooming in is a bit too hard for me to do (yet). Below is the picture that I got myself, which I am very proud of!

Edit: I made a gif! It's not as exciting as the one from Wikipedia, but I am still very proud of it. You can find it here

#it has been a year since i started this meta #we are currently at about 18k #getting close to the end #but not quite there yet #rnm meta #roswell new mexico #rnm #thesquidkid does meta

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dr-lizortecho · 10 months

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The thing that stings the most is that season four didn’t just give Liz senseless and nothing plots, they also removed her importance and relevance to the narrative. Because getting down to the bare bones of what the show was at the start, the symbolism and driving forces behind the plot, she was always at the top of the list. She’s uncovering the mystery of Rosa’s death, she’s discovering the fourth alien, she’s bringing Max back to life, she’s saving Max and battling an evil dictator.

Cause underneath all Max’s chosen one- savior symbolism and relevance to Oasis, they’d always painted that narrative with Liz. Used her as the God character, who always pulled through and directed, inspired and shunned. Her relevance to the plot always existed. Then season four turned her from God to a glorified lab assistant.

#roswell new mexico #liz ortecho #rnm salt #sorry had the audacity to start pulling up references to the third installment of my rnm/christianity meta

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angrycowboy · 2 years

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my mind has been going a million miles a minute since that episode. it was so good! i swear all i need to be fed some good malex scenes, less overt pop culture references, and i’m a happy camper. but of course, this meant i went into full speculation mode regarding what’s happening to alex...

the liminal space or “pocket dimension” is an interesting concept. but what i think we may actually be looking at right now, is some form of alex’s mindscape.

alex has spent his entire life in survival mode. first with jesse, then in the air force. and this liminal space reflects that. when we see him, he’s in survival mode yet again - this time from an unknown element causing his death. he assumes radiation because chemical warfare would match up with his military background and upbringing.

why the 1940′s? given this is the only instance of the liminal space we’ve seen, it might be because that’s when it all went wrong in alex’s mind. that’s when the ship crashed, that’s when his ancestors began their targeted genocide of the aliens.

(could this also be indicative of theo’s hand, where the setting of the liminal space for anyone would be the same? it’s possible. when alex fell through, the “open” symbole illuminated on michael’s console. perhaps the liminal space only takes the shape of the mindscape of the first person dropped into it? perhaps that’s why nora and louise locked jones up - to make him the first one to use it?)

alex sets up the faraday cage trap at the drive-in. this is another method of his survival - gain the upper hand on anyone who may be dangerous.

all of alex’s scenes take place at the drive-in. and in alex’s mind, his first date with michael was back in 1x03 at the drive-in. to alex, we learn, it didn’t matter that it ended poorly, he still has fond memories of it, and it holds special importance to him.

one of the first things dallas asks about is the fruit, to which alex answers that he’s seen a grove of weird looking trees. it’s only after this that bonnie and dallas return later saying the grove has been burned down. this is information that had he known about, alex surely would have provided.

alex mentions is that he’s noticed a drop in barometric pressure - something he’d also referred to in 4x01 right before the st. elmo’s fire happened. the presence of an electric magnetic storm is “new” he says, but it’s not the first time we’ve heard about one on the show - in 1x12 alex mentioned it outside caulfield.

the fractals on his chest appear similiar to the ones that appeared on liz’s arm in 4x09 while she was in her mindscape and under the influence of the mist. liz’s mindscape adventure was for her to try and work through her internal conflict regarding the science and max, and whether max was holding her back. in alex’s case, he’s faced with michael’s ongoing decision - stay on earth with him and give up seeing the planet he’s been looking for, or travel back to oasis and the home he’s been searching for since he first crawled out of the pod. the alex we’re seeing in the liminal space right now is seemingly making the decision for michael - alex gets the shred of happiness he believes he’s allowed, and he’s also freeing michael from having to make that choice.

so why would tezca need to throw alex into the pocket dimension as a contingency plan? well in 4x11 we learn that anyone with the triad symbol can’t make the jump to oasis through the portal. it’s entirely possible that jones found out not only about max’s tattoo but michael’s as well. so when jones found out about alex (”there is someone you care about as much as nora”), he realized if he was going to try and use liz to bypass theo’s lock, there needed to be stakes. trapping michael in the pocket dimension knowing he would go after alex means that liz will be unable to say no any longer.

and lastly, sometimes this show still gets music right. the lyrics playing at the end of the scene where alex begs michael to let dallas marry them? “it’s all in your head”

#roswell new mexico #malex #malex meta #rnm speculation #alex manes #notso writes meta #i dunno if this makes sense #but i have been thinking about it a lot today #i'm probably wrong but i had a lot of fun capslocking today about this

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salmonthestoryteller · 2 years

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Science Bros Season 4 Parallels

For my previous posts about the parallels of Liz & Michael’s journey go here:

Part 1: Michael & Liz (Season 1)

Part 2: Liz & Michael (Seasons 2-3)

Michael and Liz start the season, once again, in the same place. They've been with their respective partners for half a year now, and have started to become settled for perhaps the first time in both their lives. However, they are both thrown for some loops in that regards during the season, starting with the men they love deciding to take the next step in their relationships.

Before Season 4 begins, Alex asks Michael to move in with him. While he agreed, we begin the series with Michael feeling very unsettled about this. Spiraling into old fears. Surprisingly, it's Malex’s turn to solve their issues quickly. A few conversations later, the two are settled and happy. In fact, Michael lays this part of their story to rest in episode 3.

Michael: "Well, my running man-days are over. Alex may be out chasing weather balloons, but my bags are unpacked.”

Max, meanwhile, has plans to ask Liz to marry him. Their dance with this lasts the rest of the season. With a combination of their own old fears and the new alien threat continuously getting in the way.

In the meanwhile, both Liz and Michael fall into old obsessions.

Liz meets Shivani and is quickly captivated once again with unlocking the secrets of alien science. At first, the goal is simply to aid against the new threat. However, as the season continues Liz obsession slowly grows into something far more dangerous.

Michael meets Clyde and is quickly captivated once again with discovering the secrets of their home world. At first, his goal is also to be of aide against the new threat. Befriending Bonnie and attempting to save her from the cult of Ophiuchus. However, after realizing that Clyde is offering him a way home to Oasis, Michael's obsession also grows.

Meanwhile, their love interests both come under attack by Tezca. Alex is kidnapped, taking him out of the fight for the time being. While Max makes a dangerous decision to rid himself of his powers - lessening his ability to aid in the battle against the other aliens.

Michael realizes his obsession with Oasis has distracted him while Alex was in danger.

Liz almost comes to the same conclusion upon seeing Shivani’s obsession begin to spiral out of control, but her journey is interrupted when she's dosed with the alien mist.

In the final climax, Liz and Michael are both called upon to use their genius to find a way to save the group. Liz to stop Clyde from getting to Oasis, and Michael to save the group from the Pocket Dimension.

Malex, having found their balance, decides to hell with just living together and gets engaged and then married. Their separation, and Alex almost dying, having been the final major hurdle in their relationship.

Echo had also found their balance, and they almost take the next step as well. However, they are once again interrupted - this time by Max’s decision to go to Oasis. They do get there, however - third time’s a charm - when they meet before the gate and finally get engaged. In a sense, Max going to Oasis is much like Alex’s time in the pocket dimension - Echo’s final hurdle before their happily ever after.

Unfortunately, with the series not being renewed for a fifth season, that does leave us without Echo’s marriage to complete the parallels. (Though it may have spared us Max almost dying on Liz again.)

I am going to miss our Scientific Geniuses, their alien shenanigans, and matching journeys toward the happiness they deserve.

#roswell new mexico #meta #science bros #liz ortecho #michael guerin

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