The Science of Fallout Fact vs Fiction

The Science of Fallout - Fact vs Fiction

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re taking a deep dive into the “Fallout” franchise. Open up those Pip-Boys and put all your skill points into science, because today we’re separating scientific fact from fiction.

#10: Mutations

In the world of “Fallout” it’s commonly understood that radiation can cause genetic mutations in humans and in animals. Broadly speaking, that’s true in real life, as well, although Fallout’s version of mutation uses a bit of artistic license. In reality radiation-induced genetic mutations are complex and virtually always bad. Radiation exposure can and does alter DNA. But think less ‘turning you into an immortal ghoul’ and more ‘causing cancer and potential birth defects in your future children’. Radiation-induced mutations are random, in the real world, and can affect any part of the genome. What precisely happens next depends on many factors, including the type of radiation, dose, and duration. In Fallout, meanwhile, mutations are generally much more predictable, and can grant superhuman abilities as well as dramatic physical changes. Which is just science fiction all over.

#9: Energy Weapons

Vault Dwellers may find themselves short on bullets in the Wasteland. But, conveniently, the universe of “Fallout” is replete with an arsenal of energy weapons! From gatling lasers to plasma rifles, directed energy weapons are staples in the game and show. Perhaps fortunately, though, the streets of the real world are not also flooded with the same. In our lives, such futuristic firearms can’t currently be produced at scale. The technology needed requires an incredible amount of money - as in, Pentagon level money. So, why bother when conventional weapons can do the same general job for much less cash? The physical limitations, too, are prohibitive. From heat loss and heavy weight to beam control and power costs… genuine, everyday energy weapons don’t give enough bang for the buck. Even if, in “Fallout”, they’re all the rage.

#8: Contaminated Food & Water

Readers of the Wasteland Survival Guide know that food and water can be as dangerous as a yao guai. Essentially all food and water in the wild will be irradiated. In the games, that’s no biggie - it will heal you (or feed you) for just a small rad hit, which you can heal later. But, unsurprisingly, in real life irradiated food and water presents a much larger risk to your health. Radiation creates something called URPs, or ‘unique radiolytic products’ in food. By consuming these substances, you’d be granting them a direct line toward mutating your DNA. At high enough levels, then, URPs can leave a person with acute radiation sickness, organ damage, and they can even lead to death. So, all of us here highly recommend that you avoid that tin of irradiated Cram.

#7: Power Armor

This may come as something of a surprise, but power armor actually is real! That being said, don’t expect any hulking T-60s in the here-and-now, just yet. War never changes, but technology does - slowly. With that in mind, current iterations of real-world wearable exoskeletons are mainly designed to help soldiers and first responders carry heavy loads by hand. They’re less power armor, more power loader. Still, there are predictions for much more to come. Protective plating and combat uses could be next. Although debates over practicality rage. As it stands, power armor’s applications are limited. The weight constraints of heavy materials like steel or the durability constraints of light materials like aluminum are both significant problems. More importantly, however, is the lack of long-lasting power supplies. We don’t have any fusion cores lying around in the real world.

#6: Underground Vaults

In some respects, Vault-Tec got the science right: shelters really do need to be underground. The soil absorbs the ambient radiation, protecting the structure and the people inside. Air flow would be an issue, but a surmountable one. In reality, what’s known as a Kearney air pump can provide a steady supply of breathable air, pump out CO2, and keep radiation at acceptable levels. The real issue, though, is the time. Typically, such shelters aren’t meant to be long-term solutions to humanity’s survival. It’s hard to imagine a large enough stockpile of food and water to sustain a whole community over generations. In real life, fallout shelters are generally to help a small group of people hopefully survive for a few weeks or so. But, in the game and show, there’s no telling how long you could hole up in one!

#5: RadAway vs Prussian Blue

In both the “Fallout” universe and in ours, radiation exposure can be fatal. But… in “Fallout”, it’s a much more solvable problem. Pop some Rad-X to shield yourself from rads, and RadAway to heal any exposure. Easy. Real life, by contrast, is more complicated, although there are some options. Iodine tablets are like our version of Rad-X, saturating the thyroid gland with stable iodine, so that the uptake of radioactive iodine isotopes can be prevented. Prussian blue, on the other hand, is basically paint. It also binds to cesium and thallium isotopes in the intestines, however, preventing absorption by organ tissues. Unfortunately, iodine and Prussian blue don’t always work and can't prevent all types of radiation or large quantities. They’re a little like what we see in “Fallout”, but nowhere near as reliable.

#4: Superhuman Strength

Much like Captain America in the MCU, the weird science of Fallout can grant ex-Vault Dwellers and Couriers superhuman strength. Unfortunately, outside of the game, human beings are limited by both physiology and physics. Our muscles are constrained by the size and number of muscle fibers, the efficiency of our nervous system, and the availability of energy. All of which means that even the best athletes and the world’s strongest people have physical limits. You can raise those limits - to a degree - through long-term training and enhancements. But, realistic muscle growth and performance can only be pushed so far. And, more importantly, real, non-Fallout humans are creatures of bones, ligaments, and tendons. Even with musculature capable of enhanced feats, then, our joints can only allow so much.

#3: Cryonics

In the world of “Fallout”, Vault-Tec was a leader in many scientific fields, including cryonics. Vault Dwellers and executives alike managed to escape the Great War of 2077 by freezing themselves for centuries in a secure Vault. More broadly, cryostasis is a cornerstone of speculative science fiction, theoretically allowing humans to outlive disease and travel in deep space. The real science behind the practice is still in its infancy. And we’ve yet to evolve the technology beyond its most important hurdle: freezing - especially over the long term - damages tissue. Cells are disrupted and the liquid in the body crystalizes. And people don’t just wake up from that. Cryonics will only be possible if and when researchers either find a way to prevent this damage, or discover a form of revival that repairs it.

#2: Advanced Robotics

Despite its mid-century modern aesthetic, the technology of “Fallout” is both futuristic and, at times, awe-inspiring. Before the Great War, humanity had reached an apex in the field of robotics. Combat robots like Assaultrons terrorize the battlefield while suburban families rely on Mr. Handy for household chores. And that may, indeed, be what our future holds in this world, as well. Yes, for now, engineers are still working on ways for robots to navigate simple obstacles like stairs… but rapidly advancing models are expected. As with many technologies, the robots in “Fallout” have a ready supply of fuel - often nuclear in nature. That part may be different in real life, with the powering of domesticated and combat robots more likely to resemble charging an electric vehicle. Perhaps they would struggle in a real life apocalypse, but they are on their way, all the same.

#1: Wildlife

One rare bit of good news about the Fallout games and their relation to what would really happen… is that they generally misunderstand the length of time it takes for nuclear fallout to dissipate. While the soil and local animal life would absorb lethal doses of radiation in the short term, it perhaps wouldn’t take centuries to vanish - as it does in the game. In fact, and circumstances depending, it could be that much of the worst radiation would vanish in days or even in hours. More widely, and perhaps a few years, or a couple of decades. All of which means that wildlife would eventually return in abundance - and without extra heads. Chernobyl is a real-life example. In the years since the infamous nuclear meltdown, local plants and animals have flourished. The soil is rich, the landscapes are pristine. And, thankfully, there isn’t a single radroach in sight!

What do you think about the Science of Fallout? Has it helped to get you hooked? Let us know in the comments below!