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I've been pondering this for some time, I just thought it was interesting. In The Matrix we see the fields of humans that are used as power for the Machines. The purpose of The Matrix is to sustain these humans psychologically. I understand that this is completely theoretical but I was just wondering how, scientifically, it would be possible to physically sustain the billions and billions of humans that must be required. Through cloning and gene therapy the human crops would be perfectly healthy and as they are totally submerged in that slimy stuff I presume that is to eradicate the spread of disease. In the first movie Morpheus says that the dead are fed intravenously to the living. I'm no biologist but I wouldn't have thought that a dead human body would have enough vital vitamins and minerals in it to sustain a living human. Surly without the sun various vital parts of the human diet would be extinct. Also I know that the sun produces various vitamins and also serotonin in the human body. I was just wondering if anybody much wiser than me could explain exactly what the Machines would have to do to keep their crops of humans alive, and how it is possible.

it's simple, really.

it's science fiction. we have no clue what they're doing.

it reminds me of a line from the theme song for Mystery Science Theater 3000: "if you're wondering how he eats and breathes, and other science facts, just repeat to yourself 'it's only a show,' you should really just relax."



actually though, if someone really could figure that out (with the limited available info we have on those fields), it'd probably be an interesting read.

mibbe they use Artificial light to grow foods to feed to the humans and then when they die use them as food

I understand what you're saying but you could argue that point for 90% of the topics on this forum. Anything we don't understand just say its only a movie they've got poetic license don't worry about. With any other film that would be true but goddamn this movie is so indepth I honestly don't believe the Wach's would have based a large part of their story on some thing that couldn't happen. I'm just interested thats all just wondered if there was anybody who knows about this sort of thing.

I am 100% certain the Wachowski's could explain any part of their movies in detail. Even the theoretical stuff

SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!! IT'S PEOPLE, WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

In the Animatrix, the machines studied every aspect of the human body and brain, they knew exactly everything we needed and obviously how to keep most us under control. I'm sure the machines do a good enough job of keeping the vitamins and minerals humans need to live. My only problem was when the machines started growing humans, how come everyone isn't the same, just clones of each other?

I think they tried to portray it as the cycle of life...ever so continuos!!! Perhaps they r stating the machines found what other elements of life do...use the left overs basically to extend their own survival...There are other organisms in life which do this....such as worms, and so on it continues thru other beings. Maybe the machines r skilled and wise enough to have obtained this information for their own benefit!!! They r talking about 200 ys into the future!!!!?????.......Could be!!!!! http://www.killermovies.com/forums/images/moresmilies/idea.gif

sirius, smiley faces after a post usually mean i'm joking.

sifer: i don't doubt it, but as far as this case goes i am 100% sure they can't conclusively provide scientific detail for all of it. otherwise, that would mean THEY know how to make flying AI machines and nutrition-pumping body pods when no scientist on the earth does.

nickjs21, Sorry didn't mean to get all offensive and shit and you are probably right. I mean they couldn't possibly know everything could they...? ... unless they know something we don't... (the penny drops) ...whoa the Matrix is real omg now I know they'll come after me!!!

LOL. Sorry

like it was said in the pods we are living off off each other, human dont need a healthy diet to live just basic food and water and im sure anything that vitial that we need could be injected in us remeber were in pods with inch wide plugs in us, you dont thing a missing vitiaman or element could be just pumped in??

Yeah that much is obvious, but how would the machines produce such vitamins and minerals? I mean there are no plants or animals cos the sky is black!!

Surprisingly, the human species doesn't need a lot of substances to survive. I am sure the machines can provide those. Throught that tube in their mouth, remember?
we can produce ALL KINDS of vitamins even today...let alone the distant future.

Is that true? Well that is very intersting.

considering that inside the capsule, the body doesnt move..it's doesn't consume that much...there are some BASIC subtances that must be generated in order to keep one alive..that's about it. i bet that' liquiod dead' fluid is full of conservatory properties..

ooh, yes, good point...the eventual discovery of cold fusion would solve quite a lot.

Yeah Morpheus says, "this combined with a form of fusion". But surly this would be more effective than keeping a shitload of humans alive after they tried to destroy you and all your machine buddies. Just a thought. Also cheers for sharing the info Omega very interesting.

Indeed. Fusion is the next big step and there has already been a prototype (which is bigger than my house) and it works Will try and dig up the link.

Did I say it was sustainable...no. I said it worked, which it does (this being the prototype I mentioned). As I also said, I will try to find the story

That'd be interesting to read. I'm not really smart with physics, could someone explain to me what fusion is and the theory behind it etc?

It is because you need to mix blood a lot. If you marry your sister, (or brother) and 2 twins (not identical) a brother and sister, and the have kids, there body will be extreamly fragile, too fragiel in fact. Die at birth fragile. So to keep the humans healthy, the don't make clones. And anyway, making clones would cost tooo much energy.

Isn't it when you seperate an atom it makes A LOT of energy?

(No, that's called fission. That's what we do in atomic bombs and nuclear power plants. Fusion is fusing).