The Physics of Star Trek

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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: Very Interesting
Review: Discusses and explains a lot of intriguing concepts, and has been MUCH more educational than any science class I have taken as yet. There is a lot of explanation for people who are not familiar with the physics topics covered, like me. There are two problems though: 1) Warp drive is discussed without mention of the involvement of subspace. My impression is that warp drive could not exist without subspace. 2) Nothing about force fields, on which the holodeck relies to give its holographic objects more realism. So if you know a lot about physics already you will probably be a little bored, but if not, judging by my experience, you will find it fascinating. Just do not treat the author's explanations of Starfleet technology as necessarily the way it actually works, because this is definitely not authorized by the makers of Star Trek.

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Summary: A superb compilation of Star Trek science and technology
Review: The Physics of Star Trek explains several of the revered technologies of Star Trek in a comprehensive, interesting, and manner. A must for any science/Star Trek fan.

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Summary: Fun and enlightening
Review: As both a Star Trek (old series) fan and popular science reader, I was greatly intrigued to see Lawrence Krauss' The Physics of Star Trek at my local bookstore. Often disappointed by past efforts to connect to the bandwagon of popular culture, I was delighted at how learned, clear, yet sprightly Krauss' short book was. In the first part, Krauss attempts nothing less than an explanation of Newtonian physics, general and special relativity, and other physics concepts to explain warp drives, tractor beams, wormholes, and other Star Trek staples that -- under the laws of physics as we now understand them -- are probably impossible. Subsequent chapters address and deconstruct the transporter beam, warp drive, etc. The clarity and humor of Krauss' writing is just wonderful. Perhaps the most amusing chapter is the last, in which Krauss lists his "top ten" Star Trek scientific bloopers -- events, plot devices, and the like that just could not occur. Because he is a trekker, Krauss does not treat these foibles with contempt or ridicule; as a scientist and writer, he ably outlines those errors.

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Summary: Author doesn't understand
Review: Although the author is great at stating on how impossilbe it is to do things like warp drive and transporters, according to relativity and quantum mechanics, the author knows nothing of the physics of star trek. His interpretation of how warp drive works for instance is not even close to how it really works. And all his assumptions on the technology is using modern day physics, which is portrayed by the author as the absolute truth to the universe. 500 years ago it was impossible to circumnavigate the earth, 50 it was the sound barrier, I suprise a scientist would say that anything(such as warp drive) is impossible no matter what improvement in physics. If you want a book on physics, get a brief history of time, if you want a book on star trek get the tech manual, just don't get this book for either.

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Summary: Surprisingly dry and tedious.
Review: I had high hopes for the book after hearing the author on the radio but I found the book to be really heavy on physics and lacking in references to Star Trek. Einstein's own writings are lighter and more enjoyable to read. I recommend the Technical Manual instead.

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Summary: Is it possible ?
Review: A great little book in exploring all the possibilities of the Star Trek universe. What is possible, and how ? What is the basis behind all this technology ?

Some particular explanations are a bit complicated for the layman, but this is a most interesting book.

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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: Learn Physics and Star Trek's version of it - In English!
Review: Krauss has taken Physics to a new level of understanding, for the layman. His focus on Star Trek makes it more fun and relevant. Most of the points raised in this book describe similar scientific situations common to all modern science fiction stories and movies. Happily, much of Star Trek's "technology" isn't bunk!

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Summary: Good Technical detail, narrowminded author
Review: This is an interesting book that has a great amount of valuable scientific information included, such as the basics (and the not so basics) of many of the technologies employed in all of the Star Trek shows. The writer does spend alot of the book on nitpicking about details the Star Trek writers got wrong, but I neither like or dislike this. To his credit, the author does tell of many of the innovations that the Star Trek show led to, and also tells of the particles/concepts that they somehow got right before researchers discovered them. The shortcoming is the closedmindedness. All through the book he tells of the impossible energy requirements to accomplish many things, such as warpspeed, but they're only impossible according to current knowledge. Go back to BC times and ask their scientists about flying machines: impossible. But the book is still filled with great technical details that'll keep any avid Hawking readers on their toes, and is still interesting to the "lay" reader.