The Physics of Star Trek

The Physics of Star Trek

Sure, we all know Star Trek is fiction, but warp drives and transporters and holodecks don’t seem altogether implausible. Are any of these futuristic inventions fundamentally outlawed by physics as we understand it today? The Physics of Star Trek takes a lighthearted look at this subject, speculating on how the wonders of Star Trek technology might actually work–and, in some cases, revealing why the inventions are impossible or impractical even for an advanced civilization. (Example: “dematerializing” a person for transport would require about as much energy as is released by a 100-megaton hydrogen bomb). The Physics of Star Trek deserves merit for providing a refresher course on topics such as relativity and antimatter, but let’s face it: the reason most people will want to read this book is simply that it’s fun to poke holes in the premises of their favorite science fiction shows!

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars The Star Trekie takes a Side-Trek
Need a crash course in how to create your own warp drive (hint, bend spacetime behind so that it moves away and in front so that they move closer)? Or perhaps want to know what Star Trek writers got right (and horribly wrong)? Well then this is a book for you. Not terribly technical, Krauss does an excellent job of explaining complicated theories so a dummy like me can comprehend them and with a joke.

1 Star The Physics of star trek
I was very very dissapointed with this book. It was advertised as a Hard back and when i received the book it was not it was a PLASTIC back. I have always been happy with my purchases from Amazon but i am sorry not this time.

5 Stars Some of the Most Enjoyable Thinking I’ve Ever Been Prompted to Do
Chances are that if you consider a complicated and thought-provoking series like Star Trek to be entertaining, then you’ll find Lawrence Krauss’s discussions of scientific realities and almost realities to be similarly enthralling, especially when he throws some good discourse on ethics into the mix. I am not a science person by any stretch of the imagination. Math hurts my brain, 10th grade Chemistry bored me silly, and I’m relatively comfortable in trusting that Geordi LaForge knows what he’s talking about when he reels off explanations of matter/anti-matter mixing, force field frequencies, and inertial dampeners. Yet Krauss masters a balance between complexity and accessibility in his book, making everything easily understandable even while helping you to comprehend the basics of cutting edge physical laws and theories. This guy should be everyone’s first science teacher.

Krauss’ exploration is just fascinating, whether in discussing how transporters might work (do you actually transmit the atoms or simply destroy the original person and clone them on the other end? How are consciousness, memory, and the soul transmitted?), or the problems involved with faster than light speed travel and time relativity. Krauss isn’t just some holier than thou critic who seeks to tear apart the science of Star Trek, either. Instead, he offers possible explanations for how much of the technology might actually be able to work, all while pointing out that, a decade and a half later, many of the imaginary scientific concepts used in these shows have turned out to be more accurate than not.

This is a book written for those of us that enjoy the scientific and ethical aspects of Star Trek (and this book focuses primarily on Next Generation). If that’s the case for you, then “The Physics of Star Trek” is the logical next step. It’s far more accessible than the Next Generation Technical Manual, and it’s far more rewarding, as well.

**Note: This review was based upon the original 1995 printing of “The Physics of Star Trek.” Amazon is selling a version that was last revised in 2007. Twelve years of cutting edge science have, no doubt, had a transforming impact upon the book since then.

4 Stars Recommend
If you like Star Trek you will like this book, and broaden your knowledge base. If you have any interest at all in science, you will find this very interesting. I bought it for my husband and read it after he finished it. (He is a Star Trek fan; I am not.) We both enjoyed it and learned a lot from it.

5 Stars Best Book Ever!
This Book was one of the most interesting books that I have ever read. I suggest this book for everyone to read. Whether you are a fan of Star Trek or have no idea what Star Trek is, whether you like science or think it is all meaningless and boring. If you are a big fan you will love this book because he goes into great detail about individual episodes all the way from Captain Kirk to Captain Archer. The book talks about certain incidences in some of the episodes that not even I can remember and I have seen every episode. If you have no idea what Star Trek is this book will still be one of the best books I think you will ever read. It is very interesting! Talks about how everything you see on T.V. is different than from real life. How you look at one thing on earth and it will read 2+2=4 but then you look at that same thing in space and it will read 2+2=5 everything in space is completely different and this book has the best examples that I have ever seen. I highly suggest that everyone reads this book. Whether you are a fan of Star Trek or not.

Buy/More Info