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!
From Publishers Weekly
Even those who have never watched an episode of Star Trek will be entertained and enlightened by theoretical physicist Krauss's adventurous investigation of interstellar flight, time travel, teleportation of objects and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Case Western Reserve professor Krauss maintains that Star Trek's writers were sometimes far ahead of scientists?and famed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking's foreword, endorsing the possibilities of faster-than-light travel and journeying back in time, supports that notion. On the other hand, Krauss also argues that the show is riddled with bloopers and huge improbabilities, as when the Voyager's crew escapes from a black hole's interior. This informal manual for Trekkers offers a porthole on the wonders of the universe as it ponders the potential existence of aliens, "wormholes" that allow astronauts to tunnel through space, other dimensions and myriad baby universes. $75,000 ad/promo; BOMC and QPB alternates; Astronomy Book Club dual main selection; Library of Science, Natural Science Book Club and Newbridge Computer Book Club alternates. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Although a bit more physics than Star Trek, this latest effort from the author of Fear of Physics (LJ 10/1/93) is another worthy attempt to coax the TV generation into the esoteric realm of such abstract curiosities as wormholes, time/space curvature, quantum particles, and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. The strategy of drawing on the enormous familiarity of the Star Trek universe seems natural and intriguing, and the book certainly informs and entertains-to an extent. The cultural phenomenon of Star Trek is never fully integrated into the book, as the title would imply, with fewer, briefer references and no photos from any of the films or television series that might properly be expected. Krauss does provide memorable descriptions of the immense difficulties facing the actual development of various Star Trek technologies, particularly with the prohibitive energy requirement to power starships near or past the speed of light and the rather shocking operations necessary for transporters and replicators. For general readers.Patrick Dunn, East Tennessee State Univ. Lib., Johnson CityCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Published seemingly to make each Trekker's Christmas happy, Krauss' fascinating book deserves to last well beyond the holiday season. Physics professor Krauss uses the original Star Trek series and its descendants as the basis for a short course in contemporary physics. He knows both his subjects and chats as easily about the color of Romulan blood as about curved space. Ever wonder what exactly warp drive might be? Krauss has the answer: neither writing down nor pandering, he describes just how the space-time continuum is, in Einstein's special theory of relativity, potentially warped in such a way that it could be used for blasting objects around the universe. Wormholes and transporters, deflector shields and cloaking devices--all the ST technological staples are here, dilithium crystals and the holodeck, too. There's even an absorbing chapter on the times when ST's science fiction loses its grip on science fact; for example, we learn that, because light is not charged, no magnetic containment field could actually make Star Trek Voyager's holographic doctor solid. Expect high demand and . . . engage! Patricia Monaghan
From Book News, Inc.
Physics for a general audience, written by a physicist, using the Star Trek television show as a basis for sorting out science and science fiction (what would it actually take to beam someone somewhere?)<-; ->without taking the fun out of either. Regrettably, lacks a bibliography. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
Book Description
What warps when you're traveling at warp speed? What's the difference between a holodeck and a hologram? What happens when you get beamed up? What's the difference between a wormhole and a black hole? What is antimatter, and why does the Enterprise need it? Are time loops really possible, and can I kill my grandmother before I am born? Discover the answers to these and many other fascinating questions from a renowned physicist and dedicated Trekker. Featuring a section on the top ten physics bloopers and blunders in Star Trek as selected by Nobel-Prize winning physicists and other devout Trekkers! "Today's science fiction is often tomorrow's science fact. The physics that underlines Star Trek is surely worth investigating. To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit."
--From the foreword by Stephen Hawking NATIONAL BESTSELLER! This book was not prepared, approved, licensed, or endorsed by any entity involved in creating or producing the Star Trek television series or films.
About the Author
Lawrence M. Krauss is Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics and Professor of Astronomy and Chairman of the Department of Physics at Case Western Reserve University. He is also the author of two acclaimed books, Fear of Physics: A Guide for the Perplexed and The Fifth Essence: The Search far Dark Matter in the Universe, and over 120 scientific articles. He is the recipient of several international awards for his work, including the Presidential Investigator Award, given by President Reagan in 1986. He lectures extensively to both lay and professional audiences and frequently appears on radio and television.
Physics of Star Trek
ANNOTATION
Are you a Trekker, Trekkie, or a scientific type who likes to nitpick about technical details missed by Star Trek's writers? If you fit into one of the three categories it's likely that you'd enjoy this book. Dr. Krauss points out many scientific impossiblities in the four incarnations of Star Trek, such as the result that moving a craft the size of the Enterprise at even one half the speed of light is simply not practical. However, this book is not a just a 'nitpicker's' guide to the Star Trek genre. He also highlights phenomena, seen on the shows, that are in fact possible according to what we understand about the universe. For instance, time travel is a completely valid solution to Einstein's gravitational field equations. So you might enjoy this book if you're the type that likes to investigate the science that is in science fiction.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
If you enjoy watching Star Trek, you're in good company. Some of the most distinguished physicists in the world, from Kip Thorne to Steven Weinberg and Sheldon Glashow, tune in, and a popular pastime at professional physics meetings and over e-mail is a discussion of the science in the series. Now you can join the fun. Anyone who has ever wondered, "could this really happen?" will gain useful insights into the Star Trek universe (and, incidentally, the real world of physics) in this charming and accessible guide. . .Krauss. . . uses the Star Trek future as a launching pad to discuss the forefront of modern physics today. From Newton to Hawking, from Einstein to Feynman, from Kirk to Picard, Krauss leads you on a voyage to the world of physics as we now know it and as it might one day be. With a foreword by the most renowned Trekker of all (and one-time Next Generation bit player), Stephen Hawking, and featuring a section on the top ten physics bloopers and blunders in 'Star Trek' as selected by Nobel Prize-winning physicists and other dedicated Trekkers, this is a volume that will add a whole new dimension to your enjoyment of the series and to your appreciation of the universe we live in.
FROM THE CRITICS
New York Times Book Review
This book is fun, and Mr. Krauss has a nice touch with a tough subject...Readers drawn by frivolity will be treated to substance.
Washington Post
The essential tubeside companion for the fans of the venerable 'Star Trek' series.
Rush
Focusing on the 'Star Trek' television series and movies, the author addresses such questions as 'Are any of the technologies in 'Star Trek' possible? What do the laws of physics allow and what do they rule out? . . . [He discusses] modern physics, genetics, and cosmology. —Christian Science Monitor
Publishers Weekly
Even those who have never watched an episode of Star Trek will be entertained and enlightened by theoretical physicist Krauss's adventurous investigation of interstellar flight, time travel, teleportation of objects and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Case Western Reserve professor Krauss maintains that Star Trek's writers were sometimes far ahead of scientists-and famed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking's foreword, endorsing the possibilities of faster-than-light travel and journeying back in time, supports that notion. On the other hand, Krauss also argues that the show is riddled with bloopers and huge improbabilities, as when the Voyager's crew escapes from a black hole's interior. This informal manual for Trekkers offers a porthole on the wonders of the universe as it ponders the potential existence of aliens, ``wormholes'' that allow astronauts to tunnel through space, other dimensions and myriad baby universes. $75,000 ad/promo; BOMC and QPB alternates; Astronomy Book Club dual main selection; Library of Science, Natural Science Book Club and Newbridge Computer Book Club alternates. (Nov.)
VOYA - Susan Allen
One does not have to be a Trekkie to find this book fascinating, nor does one need to have a scientific bent to understand its concepts. The introduction by Stephen Hawking throws one immediately into the text: "Today's science fiction is often tomorrow's science fact." The everyday concepts of the Star Trek world, such as warp, transporter beams, antimatter, etc., all are discussed, and their possible use in the future reviewed. For example, the author considers warp as a feasible means of traveling vast distances within our conception of the time. The idea of transporting, and the question of whether one transports the information from the person or the atoms that make up the person, cause one to pause. Where does antimatter come from in the first place, since the universe seems to be made up of matter? The scientific explanations for what within the Star Trek world is plausible and what is bogus are presented clearly and simply. The reader learns important physics laws and concepts without even being aware of doing so. The possibilities of technology that mirrors what exists in the TV series will fascinate any reader. The title alone will cause the book to be picked up, but the text will keep them reading. Index. Illus. Source Notes. VOYA Codes: 4Q 5P M J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8, Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9 and Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12). 1996, HarperPerennial, Ages 12 to 18,
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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
"Today's science fiction is often tomorrow's science fact. The physics that underlies Star Trek is surely worth investigating. To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit."
— Harper Collins - New Media
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