The Physics of Star Trek

Lawrence M. Krauss

Aug 2007 · Sold by Basic Books

About this eBook

How does the Star Trek universe stack up against the real universe?

What warps when you're traveling at warp speed? What is the difference between a wormhole and a black hole? Are time loops really possible, and can I kill my grandmother before I am born? 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. Lawrence M. Krauss boldly goes where Star Trek has gone-and beyond. From Newton to Hawking, from Einstein to Feynman, from Kirk to Picard, Krauss leads readers on a voyage to the world of physics as we now know it and as it might one day be.

Ratings and reviews

I love this book, however Dr. Krauss made an error on page 51. His discussion is about exotic matter, curved space and time travel. He discusses the last 2 episodes of Star Treck the Next Generation and states that it is the convergence of a warp core breach from 3 different starships in 3 different times which causes the anomaly. I am sorry to say that it is the convergence of 3 different tachion beams from 3 different starships from 3 different time periods which causes the time/anti-time anomaly. And, it is the anomaly which inadvertently causes the warp core breach in each ship. The ships entered the anomaly and created a static warp shell in an attempt to seal the subspace breach between time and anti-time. A minor point, and excuse any spelling errors.

Authors are mostly successful in trying to explain physics concepts with layman's terms. Using Star Trek as a prop, the reader can explore the feasibility of theoretical technology such as interstellar travel, tractor beams, replicators, and teleporters.

The book goes through interesting aspects of the series, and showcases both the parts that the series got right and the bloopers, which many science fictions have.

About the author

Lawrence M. Krauss is Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics and Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics at Case Western Reserve University. He is the only physicist to have received the top awards by the American Physical Society, the American Institute of Physics, and the American Association of Physics Teachers. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.