There is a great deal of scientific dialogue in The Big Bang Theory.
Is the science in the show factually correct or are they just for fun?
asked Dec 27, 2015 at 6:32
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2Related: movies.stackexchange.com/questions/1685/… (I happened to think of it because I posted an answer)– David ZCommented Dec 27, 2015 at 18:37
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1 Answer
Yes, the show strives for scientific vigour and has its own Science Consultant / Technical Director; Professor of Astrophysics and Astronomy, David Salzberg PhD on staff to help with writing the whiteboards and consulting on any science elements in the script. The show also uses Miam Bialik PhD as an informal consultant on areas relating to her specialist area; Neuroscience.
Every week, Saltzberg attends the show's live taping at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Calif. He makes sure the whiteboards are correct. For every new episode, they're covered by a fresh scrawl of formulas dreamed up by Saltzberg and admired by physicists for their scrupulous accuracy — and occasional shoutouts to what's happening in the world of science.
"The whiteboards have dozens of fans," Saltzberg jokes.
Saltzberg also reviews scripts in progress. They arrive with unfinished dialogue and brackets reading, "Insert Science Here." He fills in the blanks, as in an episode where Dr. Sheldon Cooper, a puffed-up theoretical physicist, keeps bumming rides from a neighbor.
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Saltzberg gets backup from actress Mayim Bialik, who happens to have a PhD in neuroscience. (Her character, Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, is also a neuroscientist.) She helps Saltzberg fine-tune the show's scientific details.
"Like, what kind of microscope would they be using, or how thin should these slices be," she offers as an example.
Additionally, the show hosts regular meetings between those involved in the show and real scientists through its "geek of the week" outreach program, with scientists coming on set and spending time speaking to the stars of the shows and its crew.
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