Dakota McCoy, PhD
@reallymccoy.bsky.social
Biology, physics, data science, and coral reefs! On May 4, Star Wars Facts.
Duck slip ‘n slide at Botany Pond @uchicagocollege.bsky.social
May 12, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Duck slip ‘n slide at Botany Pond @uchicagocollege.bsky.social
Did you know that Han Solo’s famous “parsecs” comment may have been a calculated attempt to impress, or scam, Obi-Wan and Luke? Solo brags that the Millennium Falcon is “the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs!” This doesn’t make too much sense,
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1/3
May 4, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Did you know that Han Solo’s famous “parsecs” comment may have been a calculated attempt to impress, or scam, Obi-Wan and Luke? Solo brags that the Millennium Falcon is “the ship that made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs!” This doesn’t make too much sense,
1/3
1/3
Did you know that for the scene in the Wampa's cave - where Luke uses the Force to retrieve his Lightsaber - the producers achieved the effect by asking Mark Hamill to toss the Lightsaber away and then running the film in reverse?
Just kidding, the Force is real.
#MayTheFourth
Just kidding, the Force is real.
#MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Did you know that for the scene in the Wampa's cave - where Luke uses the Force to retrieve his Lightsaber - the producers achieved the effect by asking Mark Hamill to toss the Lightsaber away and then running the film in reverse?
Just kidding, the Force is real.
#MayTheFourth
Just kidding, the Force is real.
#MayTheFourth
Did you know that Star Wars fans surpass all other fanbases for their attention to detail? Here are the two "peak star wars fan" moments on the internet. 1) “my memory is a bit fuzzy…” on @reddit and 2) “NOT a rendition of spacecraft” on @NYTimes. #MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Did you know that Star Wars fans surpass all other fanbases for their attention to detail? Here are the two "peak star wars fan" moments on the internet. 1) “my memory is a bit fuzzy…” on @reddit and 2) “NOT a rendition of spacecraft” on @NYTimes. #MayTheFourth
Did you know that Luke's line "I can't see a thing in this helmet!" was not scripted? Mark Hamill thought that the cameras had stopped running and was just making a side comment to Harrison Ford. The filmmakers liked it, and so they kept it in. #MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Did you know that Luke's line "I can't see a thing in this helmet!" was not scripted? Mark Hamill thought that the cameras had stopped running and was just making a side comment to Harrison Ford. The filmmakers liked it, and so they kept it in. #MayTheFourth
Did you know that we can thank Werner Herzog for pressuring the show directors to make Baby Yoda a puppet, rather than CGI? When the puppet was removed during a scene so they could get a "clean plate" in case CGI was needed, Werner said, “You are cowards. Leave it. Leave it." #MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Did you know that we can thank Werner Herzog for pressuring the show directors to make Baby Yoda a puppet, rather than CGI? When the puppet was removed during a scene so they could get a "clean plate" in case CGI was needed, Werner said, “You are cowards. Leave it. Leave it." #MayTheFourth
Did you know that in Return of the Jedi, the evil emperor's chair was supposed to have a mechanical rotation device? However, it never worked properly-so he had to shuffle his feet to rotate.
#MayTheFourth
#MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Did you know that in Return of the Jedi, the evil emperor's chair was supposed to have a mechanical rotation device? However, it never worked properly-so he had to shuffle his feet to rotate.
#MayTheFourth
#MayTheFourth
In the Empire Strikes Back, when Boba Fett transports frozen Han Solo to his ship, did you catch that Fett notices Luke hiding?
Boba Fett briefly turns his head when Luke unholsters his blaster but keeps cool, keeps walking, and ambushes Luke a minute later. #MayTheFourth youtu.be/N3fdWyepMWk
Boba Fett briefly turns his head when Luke unholsters his blaster but keeps cool, keeps walking, and ambushes Luke a minute later. #MayTheFourth youtu.be/N3fdWyepMWk
May 4, 2025 at 7:43 PM
In the Empire Strikes Back, when Boba Fett transports frozen Han Solo to his ship, did you catch that Fett notices Luke hiding?
Boba Fett briefly turns his head when Luke unholsters his blaster but keeps cool, keeps walking, and ambushes Luke a minute later. #MayTheFourth youtu.be/N3fdWyepMWk
Boba Fett briefly turns his head when Luke unholsters his blaster but keeps cool, keeps walking, and ambushes Luke a minute later. #MayTheFourth youtu.be/N3fdWyepMWk
Aptostichus sarlacc is a trapdoor spider; trapdoor spiders build burrows, pop out to surprise prey, and are exceptionally long-lived. Remind you of anyone?
May 4, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Aptostichus sarlacc is a trapdoor spider; trapdoor spiders build burrows, pop out to surprise prey, and are exceptionally long-lived. Remind you of anyone?
A trilobite named Han solo is named Han “for the Han Chinese” and solo because it is the only member of its genus. Sure, kid…
May 4, 2025 at 7:35 PM
A trilobite named Han solo is named Han “for the Han Chinese” and solo because it is the only member of its genus. Sure, kid…
- A catfish named Peckoltia greedoi is distinguished by having “well developed color and eyes”. Oonta goonta!
May 4, 2025 at 7:35 PM
- A catfish named Peckoltia greedoi is distinguished by having “well developed color and eyes”. Oonta goonta!
Did you know that the Skywalker Twins are substantially different ages in the Empire Strikes Back? Time dilation!!! Luke and Leia both travel to Cloud City at lightspeed, but Leia travels from nearby Anoat system, while Luke travels much farther from distant Dagobah. 1/2
May 4, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Did you know that the Skywalker Twins are substantially different ages in the Empire Strikes Back? Time dilation!!! Luke and Leia both travel to Cloud City at lightspeed, but Leia travels from nearby Anoat system, while Luke travels much farther from distant Dagobah. 1/2
Did you know that in Revenge of the Sith, a battle droid tells his buddy to check out General Grievous activating his four lightsabers? You can almost hear his robotic voice, tinged with admiration: “You’re gonna wanna see this.” Clip here: youtu.be/Xj49nsG4ruo #MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Did you know that in Revenge of the Sith, a battle droid tells his buddy to check out General Grievous activating his four lightsabers? You can almost hear his robotic voice, tinged with admiration: “You’re gonna wanna see this.” Clip here: youtu.be/Xj49nsG4ruo #MayTheFourth
Did you know that the bounty hunter droid IG-88 got his head from the drinks dispenser in the original Cantina? I guess they DO serve droids- SORT OF! #MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Did you know that the bounty hunter droid IG-88 got his head from the drinks dispenser in the original Cantina? I guess they DO serve droids- SORT OF! #MayTheFourth
Did you know that George Lucas was famous for his extreme lack of communication as director of Star Wars? When he lost his voice on set, the crew made him a board with two phrases written on it to represent his most common contributions: "FASTER" and “MORE INTENSE." #MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Did you know that George Lucas was famous for his extreme lack of communication as director of Star Wars? When he lost his voice on set, the crew made him a board with two phrases written on it to represent his most common contributions: "FASTER" and “MORE INTENSE." #MayTheFourth
Did you know that the Krayt Dragon Skeleton used in the filming of A New Hope still lies in the desert in Tunisia? #MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Did you know that the Krayt Dragon Skeleton used in the filming of A New Hope still lies in the desert in Tunisia? #MayTheFourth
Did you know that that Jabba the Hutt was a puppet in the original trilogy, so finely made that he had radio controlled eyes & dilating pupils? This slimy gangster controlled Tatooine for years, valuing his own political career over the welfare of the planet's residents. Familiar… #MayTheFourth
May 4, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Did you know that that Jabba the Hutt was a puppet in the original trilogy, so finely made that he had radio controlled eyes & dilating pupils? This slimy gangster controlled Tatooine for years, valuing his own political career over the welfare of the planet's residents. Familiar… #MayTheFourth
Dire wolf genomics preprint out from Colossal! (They do not discuss the de-extinction or identify the genetic edits they did). George R. R. Martin is a coauthor who contributed to "writing: review and editing" 👀
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
April 12, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Dire wolf genomics preprint out from Colossal! (They do not discuss the de-extinction or identify the genetic edits they did). George R. R. Martin is a coauthor who contributed to "writing: review and editing" 👀
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
"Catch him if you can- these possums never bite!" *CHOMP*😆 If this passage doesn't sum up field biologists, I don't know what does! Excerpt from "Relics: Travels in Nature's Time Machine" attached. Still figuring out this new bluesky app- loving it!
January 13, 2025 at 5:34 PM
"Catch him if you can- these possums never bite!" *CHOMP*😆 If this passage doesn't sum up field biologists, I don't know what does! Excerpt from "Relics: Travels in Nature's Time Machine" attached. Still figuring out this new bluesky app- loving it!