# The Terminator Vs Polar Bear **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2006, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725 "2006-07-16T10:14:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Feces\_Of\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8797f3/32.png) [@Feces\_Of\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feces_Of_Death)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/1 "2006-07-16T10:14:51Z")
OK first the rule: Neither the Terminator (Cyberdyne Systems Model 101) or the Polar Bear (1300lb adult male) have any weapons. ---
**Author:** ![Feces\_Of\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8797f3/32.png) [@Feces\_Of\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feces_Of_Death)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/2 "2006-07-16T10:17:39Z")
Shit. I was supposed to put this in Cafe Society, wasn’t I? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/3 "2006-07-16T11:16:28Z")
You mean a fight between the Terminator and an ordinary polar bear? How can you even think this is a contest? I doubt the polar bear can harm the Terminator at all (it took a pipe-bomb wedged in its crotch to harm its endoskeleton, and even then it survived until put in an industrial steam press). ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/4 "2006-07-16T11:31:39Z")
Didn’t somebody build a suit to resist a bear (dunno which species)? As Priceguy said, hard to believe the bear could damage the metal. Also the Terminator doesn’t feel pain. Mind you, the bear would have to be named Sarah Connor… ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/5 "2006-07-16T11:44:53Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Didn’t somebody build a suit to resist a bear (dunno which species)? That would be [Troy Hurtubise](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Hurtubise). ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/6 "2006-07-16T13:33:19Z")
Depends on the playing field. Terminator definitely has the edge in endurance, and probably strength as well. However, if the fight occurs in the polar bear’s native environment, I suspect that the polar bear wins by default, because Terminator can’t swim. Terminator is also designed to infiltrate human encampments, which suggests that it may not be ideally suited for deployment in environments far outside the normal range of human survivability. For example, some metals such as steel become extremely brittle at subzero temperature. Recall that in the second Terminator movie, the T-800 used liquid nitrogen to shatter the T-1000; although the latter’s unique “liquid metal” composition allowed it to survive the attack, it seems that the T-800 considered exposure to extreme cold as a form of attack likely to disable a Terminator. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/7 "2006-07-16T14:29:06Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > Depends on the playing field. Terminator definitely has the edge in endurance, and probably strength as well. However, if the fight occurs in the polar bear’s native environment, I suspect that the polar bear wins by default, because Terminator can’t swim. > > Terminator is also designed to infiltrate human encampments, which suggests that it may not be ideally suited for deployment in environments far outside the normal range of human survivability. For example, some metals such as steel become extremely brittle at subzero temperature. Recall that in the second Terminator movie, the T-800 used liquid nitrogen to shatter the T-1000; although the latter’s unique “liquid metal” composition allowed it to survive the attack, it seems that the T-800 considered exposure to extreme cold as a form of attack likely to disable a Terminator. Even the Canadian Arctic isn’t quite as cold as liquid nitrogen, and in any event that was a weakness unique to the liquid T-800 model, not the conventionally mechanical 101 model. There’s no way in hell the polar bear doesn’t lose; polar bears are unbelievably strong, but certainly not as strong as industrial presses and explosives. The bear would likely run away, actually, once it realized it was losing. ---
**Author:** ![scott62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@scott62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott62)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/8 "2006-07-16T14:30:26Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Didn’t somebody build a suit to resist a bear (dunno which species)? I think that was Homer Simpson :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/9 "2006-07-16T15:27:50Z")
Terminator. But not quickly. The bear has reach. It could toss the Terminator around like a ragdoll. Unfortuantely for him, that’s not enough to do any real damage (unless he gets very very lucky and dislodges a critical connection by freak chance). The Tereminator keeps on coming until the bear collapses from exhaustion. Alternately: The bear takes to the water. The Terminator sinks to the bottom, where he loses track of the bear, and eventually succumbs to cold, pressure, and water damage. The bear drowns trying to find the next ice floe. Global warming wins! ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/10 "2006-07-16T15:32:09Z")
We don’t know that the Terminator doesn’t have the capacity to float (inflatable air bladders or something), but even failing that it could just follow the bear around; sooner or later it _has_ to rest. The Terminator doesn’t. It can track it with IR (should be easy in the Arctic) and just keep walking, along the ocean floor if necessary, until the bear stops running. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/11 "2006-07-16T15:57:49Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Even the Canadian Arctic isn’t quite as cold as liquid nitrogen, and in any event that was a weakness unique to the liquid T-800 model, not the conventionally mechanical 101 model. It’s my understanding that modern-day mechanical equipment, such as used in the oil industry, has to be specially designed for use in arctic climes. “The properties of all materials are also markedly affected by temperature changes. At arctic temperatures, for example, steel becomes very brittle and breaks easily […]”, according to the article on “Temperature” at [MSN Encarta](http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761562117/Temperature.html), for whatever that’s worth. Since Terminators are only intended to operate in human-habitable areas, there’s no reason to assume that its chassis would be specially manufactured to resist cold fracture. When the polar bear’s enormous strength and weight is factored in, I think it’s entirely possible that such a fight might result in the Terminator’s limbs being snapped off in short order, leaving a quadruple-amputee android torso sitting, Black Knight-like, on the arctic tundra: “Oh I see; running away, eh? Just remember, I’ll be back! I’ll be back to bite your kneecaps off!” ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/12 "2006-07-16T17:16:27Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Moving to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/13 "2006-07-16T20:07:47Z")
The first Terminator was casually able to rip out Bill Paxton’s heart (Paxton later sold it, along with his soul, to appear in _Big Love_). How much tougher is a polar bear’s hide? Would one solid hit at close range bring the fight to an abrupt end, as the polar bear succumbs to massive internal injuries? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/14 "2006-07-16T20:16:18Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > The first Terminator was casually able to rip out Bill Paxton’s heart (Paxton later sold it, along with his soul, to appear in _Big Love_). How much tougher is a polar bear’s hide? Would one solid hit at close range bring the fight to an abrupt end, as the polar bear succumbs to massive internal injuries? If you can rip out Bill Paxton’s heart, you can also crush a polar bear’s skull with one punch. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/15 "2006-07-16T20:34:16Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > The Terminator doesn’t. It can track it with IR (should be easy in the Arctic) I’m not so sure on this point: the bear’s coat is a very effective insulator. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/16 "2006-07-16T21:19:35Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > If you can rip out Bill Paxton’s heart, you can also crush a polar bear’s skull with one punch. I guess we need to determine a standard. What is the tensile strength of a polar bear’s skull, expressed in BPH, or Bill Paxton Hearts? ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/17 "2006-07-16T21:26:04Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > I guess we need to determine a standard. What is the tensile strength of a polar bear’s skull, expressed in BPH, or Bill Paxton Hearts? The heart is easy, it’s the ribcage that’s a bitch. I don’t think a polar bear’s skull exceeds 2 BPRs, so if the Terminator could “casually” put its hand through Bill Paxton’s ribs, it should be able to crush a polar bear’s skull. Now, I can’t quite picture the sequence in my head (I’ll have to rewatch the movie), but are we sure it actually went through the ribcage? If it reached the heart through the belly, it’s a _lot_ easier. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/18 "2006-07-16T21:27:35Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I’m not so sure on this point: the bear’s coat is a very effective insulator. Effective enough that you couldn’t pick up the bear’s heat signature in subzero temperatures? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/19 "2006-07-16T21:30:05Z")
> [@Priceguy](#): > > BPRs Careful, we’re talking Bill Paxton _Hearts_, not Bill Paxton Rectums. Applying one’s fist in that manner requires an entirely different set of equations. Bill Paxton Spine units may be of some small relevance, insofar as a Predator was able to express this amount of force in _Predator 2_. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725/20 "2006-07-16T22:01:52Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > Careful, we’re talking Bill Paxton _Hearts_, not Bill Paxton Rectums. By, BPRs, I meant Bill Paxton _Ribcages_. While I profess a lamentable lack of personal experience on the subject, I imagine the heart itself would not put up much resistance against a dedicated chest-into-reacher. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-terminator-vs-polar-bear/364725.md?page=2)