2001: A Space Odyssey (novel) becomes an immortal 'Star Child' that can live and travel in space. The Star Child then returns to Earth, where he detonates an orbiting nuclear warhead. This is not discussed again until the sequel to the book, "". "2001: A Space Odyssey" explores technological advancement: its promise and its danger. The HAL 9000 computer puts forward the troubles that can crop up when man builds machines, the inner workings of which he does not fully comprehend and therefore cannot fully control. The book explores the perils related to the atomic age. In this novel, the Cold War is apparently still
Technologies in 2001: A Space Odyssey perfect alignment.). Similarly, during the scene in the Dawn of Man, where the sun is seen above the monolith, a crescent moon is depicted close by in the sky. During this phase of the lunar cycle the moon would be "new" and therefore be invisible. Finally, the edge of Earth appears sharp in the movie, when in reality it is slightly diffuse due to the scattering of the sunlight by the atmosphere, as is seen in many photos of Earth taken from space since the film's release. The sequence in which Bowman re-enters "Discovery" shows him holding his breath just