The physics of star trek ebook written by lawrence m. Sure inertial dampers and transporters strain credulity but are at least. There is no such point as the universal wave due to the fact you cannot define the wave without having defining the medium that defines it. Tractor beams, photon beams, dilithium crystals, the holideck, beaming up. Also available for the 1998 broadcast are a realaudio version, a list. We need to understand the mass and frequency of our universe so that you can correctly measure the energy and entropy of our universe. Will the real world come to resemble the world of unlimited power. They travel across space using advanced technologies like warp drive propulsion systems and artificial gravity. Excerpts from the physics of star trek krauss, lawrence m. On star trek, they use matterantimatter to provide energy antimatter is existing physics, by fully converting matter into energy. Picard really could exist youd need just the right arrangement, and the orbital motions would be insane, but the physics just might work. And on the whole, i think it does, which is one reason why it was reasonable to write a book called the physics of star trek. Without it star trek could not be rebooted with different story lines.
The physics of star trek by lawrence maxwell krauss. It is the third book by krauss, who later wrote a followup. It is the third book by krauss, who later wrote a followup titled beyond star trek in 1997. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the physics of star trek. Within this report i will address a number of the far more notable difficulties in quantum theory. One of the two documents you will find links to there is almost a complete what is relativityfor the layperson book though its ultimate purpose is to discuss faster than light travel with relativity in mind. So if we take these definitions of what exactly is the physics of star trek and use them to analyze what exactly is quantum theory in physics, the wave in question must be a wave within a field. Manipulating gravity is far beyond our knowledge right now. The world of star trek is obviously fiction, and even though its technology may be implausible, it still provides a glimpse into what might be and whats impossible. Could people really do the fantastic things they did on the original star trek.
Star trek is one of the most popular science fiction series of all time and loved by people around the world. Think of it more like a modern scifi set in the star trek universe and with some of the star trek charactersand way to many cameos from former characters. Star trek also attracts and excites generations of viewers about advanced science and engineering, and its almost the only show that depicts scientists and engineers positively, as role models. Star trek, star trekthe next generation, star trekdeep space nine. Philip kesten, a professor at santa clara university in california, who uses star trek as a teaching device. Erin macdonalds physics of trek teaches physicists and. We need to have to know the mass and frequency of our universe so that you can properly measure the energy and entropy of our universe. The laws of physics cannot be surpassed by even the most talented starfleet engineers, alas, and the laws of physics mean its probably impossible to. From a plaque on the starship excelsior, in star trek vi.
Written in a style, easily accessible to a general readership, krauss explores several scientific topics and phenomena in the field of physics, often referenced to in imaginary science fiction properties, such as star trek, and how they relate to realworld science. We now possess a basic understanding of what is quantum theory in physics. Newton antes no matter where you go, there you are. Its not really star trek as you know it so i dont think you need to like the previous series. When we go over the longitudinal wave definition, its. The physics of star trek is a lighthearted, informative, thoroughly entertaining and yet, paradoxically, entirely serious overview of the physics of star trek. Real physicists are still trying to understand the nature of gravity. Who amongst us has not at one time or another wondered while watching star trek, either when it first aired, ro in watching reruns, if all of that magic might someday really come to fruition. Star trek shows us a future where science has helped contribute to the elevation of the human spirit. With this definition in thoughts, we are able to continue to analyze what is the physics of star trek. Physics undergrads crunched numbers for star treks. The world of star trek is obviously fiction, and even though its technology may be implausible, it still provides a glimpse into what might be. Petersburg times one of the years best gifts for a sciencefiction fan.
Basically, you can find two definitions with the wave, initially can be a longitudinal wave and second is often a transverse wave. When we discuss the longitudinal wave definition, it truly is the wave that. My physics and star trek page to read more about its purpose, but i do want to mention one thing here. Is star trek really a science show, or just a lot of gee, whiz nonsensical scifi. Theurgy in zoner calisto 4, and then expanded and edited by yours truly in zoner calisto 5 and photoshop cs5.
The original series and later programs in, or are they all just hitech fantasy for people who cant face reality. The selections presented here offer two such attempts. The topic of star trek phasers becomes a lesson on how lasers work and how laserbased research is conducted. The other is that physics is about the possibilities in the universe, just as star trek is. The raw base image was made by bobye2 for star trek. In this article i will address a number of the additional notable problems in quantum theory. Kesten might be standing before his 30 or so students teaching physics 5, the science of star trek. We all know star trek has always had something of a lovehate relationship with physics. Krausss venture into the star trek world of antimatter drives, dilithium crystals and tractor beams is entirely serious. Now, when we speak on the physics of star trek, it is generally the equation from quantum field theory that is newtons second law of motion, f ma. I was wondering how many of you here on pf has seen it. I love the images in star trek fact files showing the interiors of the ships on the shows, and i noticed how they conveyed a sense of scale by adding officers to them. Physics with a buffy the vampire slayer popculture chaser in the tradition of the bestselling the physics of star trek, acclaimed science writer jennifer ouellette explains fundamental concepts in the physical sciences through examples culled from the hit tv shows. Physics undergrads crunched numbers for star treks tribble problem it would only take 4.
Scotty never sugar coats the hard facts which is why kirk always listens to the uss enterprises miracle worker. In its tv shows, movies, novels, comics, and podcasts, future inhabitants of earth go on quests to the far reaches of the milky way galaxy. How realistic are star trek physics, especially the warp. I wrote scottys laws of physics as a tribute to jimmy doohan. The original series and later programs in, or are they all just. Space sciences, star trek television program, video games, star trek television program. Macdonald offered a fascinating session called physics in star trek. The physics of star trek is a fun, readable little book by an eminent physicist that boldly goes where few serious scientists have ever gone before.
A little known fact about the star trek prime universe, mentioned only in the star trek tng technical manual, is that there is a starfleet enforced speed limit. While she hasnt totally worked out the problem, she has parlayed her interest in the science of trek into a career as a science consultant and thankfully, shes willing to bring those services to the fandom masses at the annual star trek convention. One of my pastimes involves attempting to come up with fictional explanations for the science in various science fiction entertainment especially star trek given what we know about physics today. When you appear at what is the physics of star trek, what you will discover is that the waves are really waves inside a field of power and an atom or possibly a molecule. But how does star trek stack up against the real universe. I had the opportunity to see the series premiere of star trek. Whether characters are beaming to the surface of an alien planet or using warp drive to take a. This speed limit only limits impulse speed for normal ship operations, not warp speed. And it wasnt until i went to college and was majoring in physicstheres a big intersection in the venn diagram of physics fans and star trek fans, and thats how i got exposed to it. The physics of star trek i find it fascinating that based on what we now know, we cant yet say that its impossible to travel in time. The cover of his book depicts a tardis, a device used in the british science fiction television show doctor who to travel in space and time, in its disguise as a police box, continuously passing through a time loop. The physics of star trek is a popularscientific work written by scientist lawrence m. The physics of star trek, by professor lawrence krauss, is a fun book to read. As the new movie warps into theaters this week, we ask physicist lawrence krauss, author of the physics of star trek, how the scifi franchise.
The fiftyyear mission is a noholdsbarred oral history of five decades of star trek, told by the people who were there. As a longtime fan of tng it was a great episode reintroducing us to picard, and cant wait until the next episode is available. The physics of star trek by lawrence m krauss book. Now, when we speak on the physics of star trek, it really is fundamentally the equation from quantum field theory which is newtons second law of motion, f ma. Star trek warp drive physics and future space travel oped. The physics of star trek is a 1995 nonfiction book by the theoretical physicist lawrence m. Cleveland plain dealer the physics of star trek is a fun, readable little book by an eminent physicist that boldly goes where few. A cutaway view of the physics lab on the uss theurgy. The enterprise has artificial gravity that is adjustable at will. Readers know that todays science fiction often becomes tomorrows science fact. A longitudinal wave within the universe is defined as the outcome of two particles of matter that are traveling towards each other with comparable energy and momentum. In star trek, science often drives the plot forward.
Generally star trek is pretty intelligently written and more faithful to science than any other science fiction series ever shown on television. Hear from the hundreds of television and film executives, programmers, writers, creators, and cast as they. The original star trek series debuted in 1966 and has spawned five tv series spinoffs and a dozen feature films, with an upcoming one from paramount arriving in 2016. Basically, youll find two definitions from the wave, very first is usually a longitudinal wave and second is often a transverse wave. The physics of star trek is a lighthearted, informative, thoroughly entertaining and yet, paradoxically, entirely serious overview of the physics of star trek arguably the longestrunning, most popular, and most famous franchise in the history of television and movies. Basically, youll find two definitions from the wave, 1st is actually a longitudinal wave and second is usually a transverse wave. As the new movie warps into theaters this week, we ask physicist lawrence krauss, author of the physics of. With devices such as warp drives, transporters, inertial dampers, subspace communication, handheld phasers, and so forth star trek always did go beyond any known technology or even science when it needed to for the sake of story. Within this short article ill address a few of the extra notable challenges in quantum theory.