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Summary: Science can be fun (this from a high schooler)
Review: I loved this book. It explained things in two hundred pages that twelve years worth of science teachers have failed at, and I'm no Trekkie. I assume it is physics in relatively simple terms, given that I could understand most of it, but I feel like a scientist now (did you know that quarks come in three colors?). Its the same idea as A Brief History of Time but easier to understand. Recommended for any curious resident of our universe.
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Summary: Scotty was right: "You canna change the laws of physics."
Review: I never took biology or chemistry let alone physics in school, so I am easily intimidated by big words with Latin prefixes and Greek suffixes that explain the mysteries of the real world let alone the Star Trek universe. Lawrence M. Krauss, Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics and Professor of Astronomy and Chairman of the Department of Physics at Case Western Reserve University might be making stuff up the same was as Gene Roddenberry and his heirs, but he sure makes a compelling case that is easily understood even by scientific illiterates such as myself. He certainly has the credentials, even if he spells his first name funny.This book takes nitpicking about Star Trek to a whole new level, and I mean that in the best sense of the world. "The Physics of Star Trek" is divided into three sections. The first, "A Cosmic Poker Game," explores the physics of inertial dampers and tractor beams as they apply to warp speed, deflector shields, wormholes and time travel (The short answer is "No, but...," which is where it gets fascinating). The second, "Matter Matter Everywhere," covers transporter beams, warp drives, dilithium crystals, matter-antimatter engines, and the holodeck (see above short answer). The third, "The Invisible Universe, or Things That Go Bump in the Night," looks at the great unknown of the future where we may (or may not) encounter alien beings, multiple dimensions and other fun thinks from the Star Trek universe. There are nice diagrams to help the explanations along, filing in for Krauss' classroom chalkboard. Krauss also proves he is not alone in his major league nitpicking as he includes a Top Ten Physics Bloopers and Blunders from Star Trek that were selected by Noble Prize-winning physicists and other Trekkers. In his foreword Stephen Hawking points out what we have known since Jules Verne: "Today's science fiction is often tomorrow's science fact." I believe it was Jim Kirk who said things were only impossible until you did them. If I had read this book when I first watched the original Star Trek in syndication it might have kindled my interest in science to a level at least appropriate for polite social conversation. I can easily imagine what reading this book might do for somewhere who loves science; opening the minds of students to the possibilities behind the television show they enjoy watching.
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Summary: If you've looked this far, buy it.
Review: I ran across this book accidentally while thumbing through some texts in a bookstore on Einstein, relativity, space science, etc. I've always been a Trekkie and have often heard rumors of the "scientific correctness" of the show and wondered how fine the line was between science and fiction. Well, this book helped answer a lot of those questions. You don't have to be totally familiar with the laws of physics to read this book, for the most part it's reader friendly. I do, however, recommend the reader acquaint him/herself with some of the terminology...or have a reference near-by.
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Summary: Great Book
Review: I think this is a great book. But I have to agree with a previous reviewer who says that the writing isn't that good. It is not really bad, just average. In any case, I think most people who like Star Trek will enjoy this book.
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Summary: A very good book
Review: I thought this was a very good book. It was a little difficult to understand, but I should have expected that, considering most of ideas I've never heard of. Anyons? Soliton waves? I had no idea. I do have an idea for the Undiscoverable Country chapter, though. I just got finished watching the Voyager episode "The Gift" and I noticed something at the end. Somehow, Kes propels the ship 9,500 light years in a matter of seconds. I didn't do any calculations-the show just got finished-but I'm pretty sure that that is faster than Warp 10, which the Voyager series already proved was almost impossible in a shuttlecraft, let alone a full-sized starship. That brings me to something else that Dr. Krauss can add. It isn't really a physics problem, but more of a continuity error one of my relatives informed me of. As I have already stated, Voyager has proved the impossibility of travel over Warp 10, but in more than one episode of ST:TOS and ST:TNG, ships have gone over Warp 10. I believe Dr. Krauss noted one such episode in his book, but I would just like to say that there are many more.
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Summary: Nice intro to Physics for Trekkers
Review: I was given this book a few years ago as a gift and I finally picked it up and read it. It is really mostly about physics and not too much about Star Trek, but the cool thing is that he uses ST to demonstrate some advanced topics of physics. This made it more interesting to read than if it had been a straight physics book. It rekindled my intrest in these topics.
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Summary: Brings out the "realities" of the world of Star Trek.
Review: I'm certainly no expert in physics. But I've always been a fan of "Star Trek" and fascinated by the incredibly clever details in the ST episodes that make it a believable world. Speaking of details, this book is full of them. The author explains how and why certain things could work and others couldn't. And I was again impressed by the sheer genius and consistency of the ST writers. Sure, it's disappointing to find out that some of the processes they invented could never actually work. What surprised me was that I actually understood why! This is so well written and so comprehensible that I'll probably read it again just to savor it. I highly recommend it for any ST fan.
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Summary: good gimmick
Review: I'm sure some 'true blue' Star Trek fans will be disappointed that this book doesn't agree with all the 'science' used in Star Trek. Actually 'Star Trek' is only used as a jumping off point to talk about physics and possible advances of physics in the future. It also presents the other side, and will give the scientific reasons that some form of Star Trek technology (such as transporters) will probably never be possible. I thought the explanation of various scientific principles (usually related to something in Star Trek) were done well without being either condenscending or obtuse. I was actually surprised that the author (apparently a Start Trek fan) found that, for the most part, the scientific concepts used in Start Trek were generally more accurate than the usual SF TV show or movie. Usually the science in these shows is pretty bad. It appears that the Star Trek technical advisors have been doing their homework. I recommend this book to those interested in science and physics and are also familiar with Star Trek. The connection between the two makes the science more palatable and enjoyable.
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Summary: good gimmick
Review: I'm sure some 'true blue' Star Trek fans will be disappointed that this book doesn't agree with all the 'science' used in Star Trek. Actually 'Star Trek' is only used as a jumping off point to talk about physics and possible advances of physics in the future. It also presents the other side, and will give the scientific reasons that some form of Star Trek technology (such as transporters) will probably never be possible. I thought the explanation of various scientific principles (usually related to something in Star Trek) were done well without being either condenscending or obtuse. I was actually surprised that the author (apparently a Start Trek fan) found that, for the most part, the scientific concepts used in Start Trek were generally more accurate than the usual SF TV show or movie. Usually the science in these shows is pretty bad. It appears that the Star Trek technical advisors have been doing their homework. I recommend this book to those interested in science and physics and are also familiar with Star Trek. The connection between the two makes the science more palatable and enjoyable.
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Summary: The Physics of Star Trek: Many Questions--- Few Answers
Review: It is not often a cultural phenomenon like Star Trek is responsible for a spurt of growth of interest in the hard sciences that serve as a backdrop for the various television shows and movies in its canon. Lawrence Krauss in THE PHYSICS OF STAR TREK attempts to confront the unspoken assumptions that go on in the viewer's mind under the helm's countertop when Captain Kirk orders, 'Warp factor three, Mr. Sulu.' Apparently what goes on in reality is the merging of pseudo-science with some very clever writing that distracts an audience that is not particularly science-literate anyway. Krauss discusses the widespread Star Trek use of holograms, warp travel, matter transportation, phasers, inertial dampers, time travel, and nano-technology. In each case, he points out with some tongue in cheek the present impossibility of actually developing and using such devices. Krauss is a physicist who likes to write,or judging by his lengthy list of published books, he is a writer who likes physics. He has a smooth style of explaining the grotesquely unfamiliar in terms of the beloved familiar world of the Federation. TPST is a book written for those whose knowledge of basic science is gleaned from watching shows like Star Trek. He asks many questions, elaborates many details, but provides precious few answers. In short, he is just like my 10th grade physics teacher. Perhaps that is the inner lesson of this book: to probe beneath the smoke and mirrors of the writer-magician's blanket to see if the immutable laws of reasonability are being obeyed.
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