In ‘X-Files,’ Scientific Truth Can Be as Strange as the Plots

The truth is out there.

Though it may not be in the form that many “X-Files” fans had hoped, such as extraterrestrial visitors, several plots in Fox’s sci-fi program are given scientific explanations in a new book by one of the show’s science advisors.

That’s one reason “The X-Files,” which began its seventh season this month, is so compelling, says Anne Simon, author of “The Real Science Behind the X-Files: Microbes, Meteorites, and Mutants” (Simon & Schuster, $25).

Simon gives the scientific basis for popular story lines, including the killer Alaskan worms and the deadly mites that were awakened by loggers after millions of years.

“Science lends a lot of realism to the show, and that lends to its popularity,” said Simon, a professor of and associate head of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

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For example, in the episode “Darkness Falls,” loggers were found dead and covered in swarms of mites glowing iridescent green. Of course, Mulder (David Duchovny) suggests extraterrestrial activity, but Scully (Gillian Anderson) later discovers scientific evidence to prove that ancient mites were awakened naturally.

Simon suggests that the fictional mites’ DNA could have been protected by amber (fossilized sap from the trees). Noting that certain bacteria are able to form spores that protect them from harsh environments and allow them to lay dormant for millions of years, Simon hypothesizes that the fictional mites’ eggs could have been revived when a volcano hurled them into the air and the force of falling back to Earth caused them to crack.

As for the iridescent glow, Simon says, it could be generated in the same way a firefly glows: by producing the enzyme luciferase and a substance called luciferin, which then combine with ATP, the fuel of cells.

When “The X-Files” premiered in 1992, Simon writes, she was dubious of a science-fiction show on the Fox network. She feared the characters would be portrayed as mad scientists plotting to take over the world. But she was agreeably surprised.

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Not only were scientists correctly depicted, she says, but the methods Scully and her colleagues use are also realistic and the equipment they use is authentic.

“The show is from Scully’s point of view. As a woman, she’s a wonderful role model,” Simon said. “And when was the last time a scientist was portrayed in a favorable light?”

Simon, whose father is a scriptwriter, met the show’s creator, Chris Carter, because he is married to a family friend. Often, she reads the scripts for scientific accuracy, such as determining the time it takes to complete experiments or what type of microscope to use to view different specimens. She also suggests ideas for plots, such as the real-life fruit flies that have legs coming out of their mouths.

“I thought that would be a cool ‘X-File’ organism,” Simon said. “I made a couple of other semi-suggestions, but nothing else has hit his fancy.”