The dark side governs the galaxy

A new Star Wars movie has arrived in theaters to make us dream. Full of technology and adventures, it’s willing to show us the depth of the galaxy – united with the force, of course.

But as a scientist at Duke, I cannot stop trying to explain the laws of nature, and one question comes to my mind when thinking of the Jedi: Where is the force in the universe?

If the force exists and the Jedi can feel it, our devices should be able to detect it, shouldn’t they? In order to try to understand what and where the force is in the landscape of science, remember the definition that Master Obi Wan gave to Luke in the first movie, “A New Hope.”

Read the rest of this Op-Ed by SciComm Fellow Andres Aragoneses in the News & Observer.