SciencePublished
Film gets tides wrong, geophysicist explains
A film about the Odyssey features a scene where Greeks inside a Trojan horse drown due to tides. However, the Mediterranean Sea, where the story takes place, does not have significant tides. A geophysicist explains why this is the case, citing the narrow Strait of Gibraltar and the resulting lack of tidal movement.
At a glance
- The Mediterranean Sea does not have significant tides due to its narrow connection to the Atlantic Ocean.
- The Strait of Gibraltar is too narrow for tidal water to slosh in and out, impacting sea levels.
- Tides are caused by the moon's gravity and the Earth's rotation, resulting in bulges of water in the oceans.
- The film's error was pointed out by a geophysicist, who suggested that the director, Chris Nolan, take a course on geophysical hydrodynamics.