The Physics of Star Trek

by Lawrence M. Krauss

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465002047
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	06/04/2007
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.62(d)

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.

Table of Contents

Forward, by Stephen Hawking
Preface
Preface to the Revised Edition

SECTION ONE
A Cosmic Poker Game
1. Newton Antes
2. Einstein Raises
3. Hawking Shows His Hand
4. Data Ends the Game

SECTION TWO
Matter Matter Everywhere
5. Atoms or Bits
6. The Most Bang for Your Buck
7. Holodecks and Holograms

SECTION THREE
The Invisible Universe, or Things That Go Bump in the Night
8. The Search for Spock
9. The Menagerie of Possibilities
10. Impossibilities: The Undiscoverable Country

Editorial Reviews

Washington Post
“The essential tubeside companion for the fans of the venerable Star Trek series.”

New York Times Book Review
”This book is fun…Krauss is always enlightening.”

St. Petersburg Times
“A fascinating way to learn more about physics.”

Cleveland Plain Dealer
“One of the year's best gifts for a science-fiction fan.”

Tampa Tribune
“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.

From the Publisher