The Physics of Star Trek

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Ideabut limited vision
Review: This volume by Lawrence Krauss is a physicists' exploration of the scientific feasibility of "Star Trek science". As a student of science myself and a Star Trek fan for many years, I was intrigued by this book. Apart from drawing attention to curious inconsistencies (such as "how come we hear explosions in space, where there's no air to carry the sound?") this book addresses a wide range of issues, such as WARP drive, transporters, the Holodeck, Black Holes, and Data, among other things.

What this turned out to be is a nice and easily accessible introduction to modern day physics using Star Trek as a model. Overall the book is very interesting to read and often thought-provoking. Unfortunately, the book suffers from a significant limitation because of its attitude. The "Physics of Star Trek" tests the feasibility of Star Trek phenomena based on our understanding of physics today. Thus many things are deemed "impossible" because the author cannot visualize a way to make them work using 20th century science. The problem with this attitude is that it lacks vision. Had he been writing with this attitude in the 1940s for instance, he would have discounted any possibilities of having any automated thinking machines and dismissed any aspect of the computerized world that we enjoy and take for granted today. The beauty of Star Trek is that it is visionary in nature, and a fair analysis of the show needs to make some educated guesses about what the science of the future will look like and not merely confine thinking to the science of today.

Having said that, I do concede that this book is a very nice, fun to read, and interesting introduction to the science of today, and I highly recommend it to any Trek fan interested in real science!

Rating:
Summary: Well written, with a misleading title
Review: Although the title suggests otherwise, this is not really a book about Star Trek. Lawrence Krauss, a physicist, quotes Star Trek, but his further explanations largely neglect what can be seen in the series and, rather than that, strictly adhere to the laws of real physics. This alone is no criticism. We need popular books about physics (and this is a good one), but the title just doesn't suit it.

A typical chapter begins with examples from the series, but subsequently it becomes like a general analysis of science (and) fiction where one could easily replace "Enterprise" with "Star Destroyer" or anything else. In the chapter on warp propulsion, for instance, Krauss discusses a general theory of FTL travel without even mentioning the term "subspace" which is actually the key Star Trek's warp drive. The same happens in his reflections on the transporter. He assumes that a human being should be reduced to bits, although Star Trek's transporter is supposed to transmit the very matter of an object or person. Agreed, from the viewpoint of actual physics Krauss is right, and I would wish that he gave certain Trek authors a few repetitional lessons in physics. Anyway, I don't understand why he calls a book with rather few Trek-specific content and much more real world physics The Physics of Star Trek and not "The Physics of Science Fiction". I usually don't like to speculate, but maybe because the book sells better with "Star Trek" in the title, or does he intend to disillusion or even convert die-hard Trek fans? Well, I rather go with a positive explanation that Star Trek just covers all facets of fictional science and technology, so it was the obvious choice.

Speaking of disillusions, this book will have several for those fans who firmly believe that it just needs a bit of research until we get warp or only impulse drive or a transporter to work. Krauss makes very clear how much fuel it would take to accelerate a starship to "only" 0.5c and decelerate again (6561 times the ship's mass!), and what a resolution would be required to beam up a person's atoms from a planet surface (that of a lens as wide as the distance to the planet!). As I said, I think the book isn't supposed to spoil our fun of Star Trek, and I hope it won't have this effect on anyone. So if we keep in mind that Krauss is just talking about general concepts and not about how the technology works in Star Trek, this is a very good lecture for all who like Star Trek and all who like to know more about the limits of physics.

Rating:
Summary: Plausibility
Review: This text is very enlightening for the Star Trek viewer. It gives technical answers to questions concerning warp, transporters, worm holes and other technology and phenomena that do not have the opportunity to be addressed on camera. Despite some deviations in the series, this text offers more plausible explanations for the inner workings of the Star Trek multi-verse.

Rating:
Summary: Chocolate Milk.
Review: For me, this book was like chocolate milk for children. If you have had a child, or had a clever mother, you may have been given chocolate milk in the past. Your mom probably didn't want you to have more sweets, but she also know that it was the best way for you to drink your milk. Same concept here.

Mr. Krauss is a scientist and a teacher who loves physics. He knows, however, that physics aren't loved by many people. So he has hit on a clever idea. He teaches us physics while discussing a popular and fun series, Star Trek. So, beware, you will learn, if you read this book.

You still, however, should have fun. In this book we learn the scientific foundations for some of the more fanciful technologies found in the Star Trek series. Everything from warp engines to phasers to holograms and deflector fields are discussed.

Some of the conclusions of the author, I noticed, have disapointed some of Star Trek's hardcore fans. I don't know why. I watch the series to enjoy myself. I still do. The fact that one person doesn't believe warp power, for example, will ever be practical doesn't detract from the Star Trek's stories. Indeed, the fact the warp power may be possible, but to expensive, was shocking.

Some of the other discussions found in this book were also very surprising. The author, for example, talks about how the computing aspect of transporters may be possible by the 23rd century. He also thinks that more active holograms are possible, but ones that touch or interact with people physically, he believes are unlikely.

Again, by discussing these aspects of science, we learn alot about our current technology. This is a fun, informative read, and a good tool for teachers who want to excite their studies about their studies. For a science book, therefore, I would give it a "5" for fun. Overall, I have given this book a "4", but it is an interesting read.

Rating:
Summary: What Star Trek's writers got right and what they got wrong!
Review: Fascinating review of how the science and technology of the fictional 24th Century of Star Trek compares to current scientific theory. From warp engines to wormholes, from teleportation to tractor beam's, Dr. Lawrence Krauss explains how these marvels might and might not(!!) work within the constraints of the universe as we understand them today. Dr. Krauss credits Star Trek's writers not only with getting much of their science right (at least in theory) but also with frequently making up terminology which is prescience in its accuracy. (Who would have thought that "anyons" really exist.) In addition to pointing out the most egregious of the gaffes like sound waves in space and the subtle problems of quantum theory, Dr. Krauss also enumerates the mind-boggling magnitudes of energy that warping space and beaming folks around would consume. All in all a quick, fun read, especially for the "hard" science fiction fan

Rating:
Summary: very entertaining and educational
Review: As a Star Trek fan with a limited background in the sciences I found this book extremely helpful in describing the science in Star Trek. It was a nice easy read. I would highly recommend it to people who are interested in Star Trek and curious about its science. To those without a background in the sciences, especially physics, don't be frightened off! The book is easy to understand.

Rating:
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.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Idea but limited vision
Review: This volume by Lawrence Krauss is a physicists' exploration of the scientific feasibility of "Star Trek science". As a student of science myself and a Star Trek fan for many years, I was intrigued by this book. Apart from drawing attention to curious inconsistencies (such as "how come we hear explosions in space, where there's no air to carry the sound?") this book addresses a wide range of issues, such as WARP drive, transporters, the Holodeck, Black Holes, and Data, among other things.

What this turned out to be is a nice and easily accessible introduction to modern day physics using Star Trek as a model. Overall the book is very interesting to read and often thought-provoking. Unfortunately, the book suffers from a significant limitation because of its attitude. The "Physics of Star Trek" tests the feasibility of Star Trek phenomena based on our understanding of physics today. Thus many things are deemed "impossible" because the author cannot visualize a way to make them work using 20th century science. The problem with this attitude is that it lacks vision. Had he been writing with this attitude in the 1940s for instance, he would have discounted any possibilities of having any automated thinking machines and dismissed any aspect of the computerized world that we enjoy and take for granted today. The beauty of Star Trek is that it is visionary in nature, and a fair analysis of the show needs to make some educated guesses about what the science of the future will look like and not merely confine thinking to the science of today.

Having said that, I do concede that this book is a very nice, fun to read, and interesting introduction to the science of today, and I highly recommend it to any Trek fan interested in real science!

Rating:
Summary: Not unless you're a Trekie
Review: Ahh! I had to read this book for a class and it was awful. Unless you're a huge Star Trek fan, I don't recommend it!

Rating:
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.