Beyond Star Trek - Hardcover

Krauss, Lawrence M.

3.84

500 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0752224646 ISBN 13: 9780752224640

Publisher: Boxtree Ltd, 1998

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A study of scientific aspects of "Star Trek". The author explains that, for instance, the space ship in "Independence Day" would have brought Earth to its knees without having fired a shot, since its gravitational pull would have caused earthquakes, tidal waves and volcanic eruptions.

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Review:

Lawrence M. Krauss's publishing record reveals his knowledge of dark matter, cosmic strings, baryon number violations at the electroweak scale--and the mysterious, sometimes bogus TV "science" that the Star Trek generation cut its teeth on. Krauss's previous book, The Physics of Star Trek, was readable, educational and clever while never talking down to the layman or trivializing physics.

In this equally engaging companion volume, Krauss analyzes more science in Star Trek and the next generation of sci-fi movies and TV shows. Can telekinesis exist? How about ESP? Like Fox Mulder of The X-Files, we want to believe, and Krauss finesses these issues, allowing, after much discussion of gravity and electromagnetic forces, that "there is little doubt that undiscovered forces ... exist at some level." He's a bit harder on the alien spacecraft of the movie Independence Day, arguing that objects so large inside our atmosphere would exert a downward pressure of 450 pounds per square inch, and that the saucers could therefore crush skyscrapers simply by hovering over them. "Of course," quips Krauss, "this wouldn't have made for spectacular previews of coming attractions." Whether you're a Trekkie, an X-phile or a serious student of physics, you'll like this book.

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