Physics of Star Trek

For additional information contact Susan Griffith at sbg4@po.cwru.edu, 216-368-1004, or 1-800-368-CWRU.

PHYSICS OF STAR TREK (running time = 2:36)

SUGGESTED INTRO: A NEW BOOK BY PHYSICS PROFESSOR LAWRENCE KRAUSS TAKES A SCIENTIST'S LOOK AT THE PHYSICAL PHENOMENON THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE SCIENCE FICTION SERIES "STAR TREK." ARE TRANSPORTERS, PHASERS, OR WARP DRIVE REALLY POSSIBLE? HERE'S A REPORT:

[VIDEO]

VOICEOVER/AUDIO: IF ANY SCIENCE FICTION SERIES IN RECENT POPULAR CULTURE HAS HAD AN EFFECT ON THE WAY WE VIEW REAL SCIENCE, THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BY FAR IS "STAR TREK." EVEN AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL, THE SCIENTIFIC POSSIBILITIES RAISED BY THE SERIES DON'T GO UNNOTICED. CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY PHYSICS PROFESSOR LAWRENCE KRAUSS HAS WRITTEN A BOOK CALLED "THE PHYSICS OF STAR TREK." IN THE BOOK, KRAUSS EXPLORES THE POSSIBILITIES AND IMPOSSIBILITIES OF WARP DRIVE, TRANSPORTERS, AND OTHER PHENOMENON VIEWERS ARE HAPPY TO ACCEPT.

SOT & SUGGESTED SUPER:

LAWRENCE KRAUSS

PROFESSOR AND CHAIRMAN, CWRU DEPT. OF PHYSICS

(OUTCUE: "...utterly implausible, let me get that off right away.") ( :23)

[VIDEO]

VOICEOVER/AUDIO: KRAUSS SAYS THAT IN OUR WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THE PHYSICAL FEATS PERFORMED BY THE CHARACTERS IN "STAR TREK" AND OTHER POPULAR SCIENCE FICTION, WE OFTEN ALLOW BROKEN LAWS OF PHYSICS TO GO UNCHALLENGED.

SOUND BITE: LAWRENCE KRAUSS

(OUTCUE: "...a perfectly good reason to invent things.") ( :46)

[VIDEO]

VOICEOVER/AUDIO: KRAUSS IS HIMSELF A BIG FAN OF "STAR TREK" AND LOVES TO PONDER THE PHYSICAL CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THE SERIES. HE ALSO BELIEVES THAT THE POPULARITY OF STAR TREK IS A GREAT DRAW FOR KIDS TO SEE THE FUN IN SCIENCE.

SOUND BITE: LAWRENCE KRAUSS

(OUTCUE: "...science is fun, which I really believe.") ( :23)

[VIDEO]

VOICEOVER/AUDIO: THIS IS TOM SHROUT BEAMING BACK TO YOU FROM CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, CLEVELAND.

-CWRU-