Is the Planetary Defense Coordination Office From ‘Don’t Look Up’ Real?Home > EntertainmentSource: Netflix NSF.Gov How Real Is the Planetary Defense Coordination Office From Don t Look Up' By Mustafa GatollariDec. 28 2021, Published 9:20 a.m. ET There's been a lot of discussion around "anti-science" rhetoric and beliefs in recent years, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and all of the socio-political discussions around the virus. Adam McKay's newest Netflix film, Don't Look Up, feels like one big allegorical diatribe against science "naysayers" who would rather eschew factual evidence and data in lieu of personal beliefs/agendas. But since it does so with a heavy dose of comedy, fans are wondering how much of the content in the film is real, like the Planetary Defense Coordination Office.Article continues below advertisement Is NASA' s Planetary Defense Coordination Office real Abso-freaking-lutely. The patch that is highlighted in the popular Netflix film belongs to an actual agency, and in case you were wondering if it it's legit, yes — the film even provides a meta moment to inform the audience that it totally exists. In one scene, Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Randall Mindy says, "I'm on hold. She is calling Dr. Oglethorpe, who is that?" Jennifer Lawrence's character, Kate Dibiasky says, "Dr. Oglethorpe, head of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office." Which prompts the response from Leo: "Is that a real place?"Article continues below advertisementSource: Netflix Then, on-screen text pops up to inform the audience that yes, the Planetary Defense Coordination Office is a real division of NASA, and that the patch in the movie is actually the one utilized by the agency. Geeky reported that an actualy astronomer and climate change scientist Amy Mainzer worked as a consultant for the film.Article continues below advertisement In an interview with collectSPACE, Amy said, "Obviously this is a sci-fi movie, right? We are getting into sci-fi territory very quickly, because obviously we don’t know of a gigantic comet that is about to hit Earth. That is not real. So fortunately, that’s the big news, right?" Leonardo DiCaprio having an age appropiate wife and grown ass kids in don't look up is more funnier than the jokes— jen (@cinephilejen) December 26, 2021 Source: Twitter @cinephilejenArticle continues below advertisement She continued, "But the Planetary Defense Coordination Office is very real, and it didn’t really exist until relatively recently." This particular office didn't come into existence until January of 2016. NASA created the division to work with its international allies in order to create Earth defense strategies, and it also serves to manage NASA's Near-Earth Object Observation initiative, which was founded in 1998. "You’d think it would be a no-brainer to have a full program to search for asteroids and comets, but even that has been a long time coming. People have been working on it for a long time, but I would say with very modest resources, considering what it takes to go out there and solve this particular problem. So we are finally getting to the point where we are conducting a much more comprehensive study of these objects," Amy said.Article continues below advertisement As discussed by #DontLookUp’s science consultant Dr. @AmyMainzer, it is imperative we heed scientists’ warnings while we can still impact change. https://t.co/N6GDMYcg9q— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) December 22, 2021 Source: Twitter @LeoDiCaprio The events of ' Don' t Look Up' are loosely based on a true story Mainzer's team actually discovered the massive NEOWISE comet in 1997. It's the basis of that staggering find that helped inform Don't Look Up. "I did a lot of work on the design of an orbit and I actually modeled some aspects of the comet in the movie after Comet NEOWISE to be realistic. I tried to choose something that would fit the needs of the movie, but also not stray too far from reality," she said.Article continues below advertisement Mainzer said that she was very happy to work on the film and it's pro-empirical evidence stance: "We need to make science-based decisions. It’s important because, if we don’t, we’re not going to end up with the best possible outcomes for a host of different problems, be it the threat of asteroids and comets or climate change or extreme weather. Or the pandemic. We have scientific decisions to make and it couldn’t be more important than doing it now." Thanks @Alex_E_Orlando of @DiscoverMag for speaking with me about the importance of making science-based decisions in our everyday lives. Whether it's the pandemic, climate change, or even asteroids, we need science to achieve better outcomes. #DontLookUp https://t.co/4GbsyOUtR3— Amy Mainzer (@AmyMainzer) December 19, 2021 Source: Twitter @AmyMainzer Don't Look Up is currently streaming on Netflix. You can watch it with a subscription by heading here.AdvertisementMore from Distractify Excuse Us, but Was a Former 'Friends' Star in Netflix's 'Don't Look Up'? 'Don't Look up' Has Two Hilarious Post-Credits Scenes You Won't Want to Miss 'Don't Look Up' Is a Comedy-Drama Film That Hits a Little Too Close to Home Latest Entertainment News and UpdatesAdvertisementABOUT DistractifyAbout UsPrivacy PolicyTerms of UseDMCASitemapCONNECT with DistractifyLink to Facebook Link to TwitterLink to InstagramContact us by Email Copyright 2022 Distractify. Distractify is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.