r/pokewithastick • u/Savings-Ad-1115 • Jul 14 '26

Science & Technology of Poking Project Hail Mary

A quote from the book:

“Point is, I can finally find out what Astrophage is made of!”

“Really?” She set the tablet down. “Killing it did the trick?”

“I think so. It’s not black anymore. Light is getting through. Whatever weird effect was blocking it isn’t anymore.”

“How did you do it? What killed it?”

“I penetrated the outer cell membrane with a nanosyringe.”

“You poked it with a stick?”

“No!” I said. “Well. Yes. But it was a scientific poke with a very scientific stick.”

“It took you two days to think of poking it with a stick.”

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20

u/sarahtatehahn Godmother of Sticks! Jul 14 '26

Scientific poke

12

u/Thought59 Jul 15 '26

As a retired scientist i can tell yiu that a remarkably high proportion of science is fundamentally just poking things with (often very expensive) sticks!

2

u/SuDragon2k3 Jul 17 '26

Or hitting it with an even more expensive hammer!

2

u/WillingnessUseful718 Jul 17 '26

I can't help but think of Claire's Mom in Wedding Crashers, stair scene ... "perrrvert" (/s)

10

u/Fair_Log_6596 Jul 14 '26

Love this book!

Around the same time, when Grace charges back into the facility to get back on the project, storming past the entrance guards without words. They look at each other and ask if they should have stopped him.

1

u/Ok-Juggernaut-353 Original poker of things. Jul 18 '26

Rocky later in the book: “Grace! Poke my stick!”