Most people don't know that the obelisk in the move "2001" is actually a self-replicating exponential space probe. Kubrik edited out a short bit in the beginning explaining the theory behind it along with other discussion of alien life.
I saw a talk from Hod Lipson who mentioned that NASA estimated that the machinery needed to rebuild civilization could fit in a 100-ton cargo hold. That is pretty amazing. With the right resources, send one to Mars, let robots build some radiation shields, and get crackin.
Kubrick filmed several scenes that were deleted from the final film. These include a schoolroom on the moon base; Floyd buying a bush baby in a department store for his daughter; additional space walks; and astronaut Bowman retrieving a spare part from an octagonal corridor. The most notable cut was a 10-minute black-and-white opening sequence featuring interviews with scientists discussing extraterrestrial life, which Kubrick removed after an early screening for MGM executives.
I'll need to find another page that mentions the Feynman probe, as I like to call it.
I saw a talk from Hod Lipson who mentioned that NASA estimated that the machinery needed to rebuild civilization could fit in a 100-ton cargo hold. That is pretty amazing. With the right resources, send one to Mars, let robots build some radiation shields, and get crackin.