What the Heck Is This?

News
By published

Hint: Today is May 4, and you all know what that means.

Hint 2: While we normally stick to images involving science, nature or technology, this one is really out there, and it's not even a photo.

Okay, so if you didn't know, May 4 is an "unofficial holiday by "Star Wars" fans to celebrate Star Wars culture and remember the films," according to Wikipedia. If you surf over to Wookieepedia, you'll be told: "May the 4th be with you." The image shows Chewbacca the Wookiee in the cartoon series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season Three."

Or, of course, if you knew what the image was, then you knew all this. See the full image below.

So why'd we use an image from a cartoon on a science site? Well, it's hard to discuss the physics of the universe, of space-time, of space travel, and of worlds that are light-years away without thinking of "Star Wars." The fiction was even predictive, as in this recent headline: 'Star Wars' Planet with 2 Suns Challenges Theories.

And, What the Heck, we can do what we want.

If you're feeling the 4th, check out this infographic on our sister site, TechNewsDaily: How a Lightsaber Works. See also, How 'Star Wars' Changed the World, over on SPACE.com.

Got a strange or interesting photo related to science, nature or technology? What the Heck, send it to me and maybe I'll use it. And you follow me on Twitter or Facebook.

Chewbacca the Wookiee in the cartoon series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season Three." (Image credit: LucasFilm, LTD)
Robert Roy Britt
Robert Roy Britt

Robert is an independent health and science journalist and writer based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a former editor-in-chief of Live Science with over 20 years of experience as a reporter and editor. He has worked on websites such as Space.com and Tom's Guide, and is a contributor on Medium, covering how we age and how to optimize the mind and body through time. He has a journalism degree from Humboldt State University in California.