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- STAR TREK BOOK GUIDE -
Scientific Works
20th Century Computers and How They Worked: The Official Starfleet History of Computers
Author(s): Jennifer Flynn
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©1993
Condition: Very Good
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 1567612571
--Summary--Go where you've never gone before... deep into the micro-universe inside your personal computer. The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise leads you and 24th Century Starfleet Academy students on a fascinating journey through the interior of a 20th century PC.
Probe the mystery of how a PC turns electricity into data that it can process, store, and transmit to other computers.
Explore how information travels from a keyboard or mouse through the system to the monitor and printer.
Learn what the silicon chips that make up computer memory look like and how they work.
Investigate the software [programs] that drives the computer's operation.
Seek out the beginnings of the information age -- cybernetics, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, fuzzy logic, and more. Compare 20th Century computer technology to the computer technology used on the Starship Enterprise.
Notes: None.
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The Physics of Star Trek
Author(s): Lawrence M. Krauss
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©1995
Condition: Mint
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 0060977108
--Summary--If you enjoy watching Star Trek, you're in good company. Some of the most distinguished physicists in the world, from Kip Thorne to Steven Weinberg and Sheldon Glashow, tune in, and a popular pastime at professional physics meetings and over e-mail is a discussion of the science in the series. Now you can join in the fun.
How does the Star Trek universe stack up against the real universe? Find out what the series creators got right -- and wrong -- about science in this fascinating guide by a renowned theoretical physicist.
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. He uses the Star Trek future as a launching pad to discuss the forefront of modern physics today. From Newton to Hawking, from Einstein to Feynman, from Kirk to Picard, Krauss leads you on a voyage to the world of physics as we now know it and as it might one day be.
With a foreword by the most renowned Trekker of all (and one-time Next Generation bit player), Stephen Hawking, and featuring a section on the top ten physics bloopers and blunders in Star Trek as selected by Nobel Prize-winning physicists and other dedicated Trekkers, this is a volume that will add a whole new dimension to your enjoyment of the series and to your appreciation of the universe we live in!
* What warps when you're traveling at warp speed?
* What's the difference between the holodeck and a hologram?
* What happens when you get beamed up?
* What is the differnce between a Wormhole and a Black Hole?
* What is antimatter and why does the Enterprise need it?
* Are time loops really possible, and can I kill my grandmother before I am born?
Discover the answer to these and many other fascinating questions as a renowned physicist and dedicated Trekker explores The Physics of Star Trek
Notes: `
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Beyond Star Trek: Physics from Alien Invasions to the End of Time
Author(s): Lawrence M. Krauss
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©1997
Condition: Mint
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 078819206X
--Summary--In the best-selling The Physics of Star Trek, the renowned theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss took readers on an entertaining and eye-opening tour of the Star Trek universe to see how it stacked up against the real universe. Now, responding to requests for more as well as to a number of recent exciting discoveries in physics and astronomy, Krauss takes a provocative look at how the laws of physics relate to notions from our popular culture - not only Star Trek, but other films, shows, and popular lore - from Independence Day to Star Wars to The X-Files.
With his books and popular lectures, Krauss has been compared to the late Carl Sagan as one of the preeminent scientists writing with humor and clarity for the general public. Beyond Star Trek establishes him as today's leading voice in the discussion of cutting-edge ideas that arise from our growing knowledge of the universe. Join him on a fun, mind-bending journey through the nature of alien visitation, interstellar travel - including the very latest on warp-drive systems - time, consciousness, ESP, the probability of other life in the universe, and quantum reality.
Once again Krauss has turned to his colleagues, including the foremost theoretical physicists in the world, asking them about the greatest unsolved mysteries of the universe. The answers will surprise you.
So buckle up and get ready for an exciting trip that takes the question "Could this ever really happen?" to new heights and will give you new insight's into your favorite science fiction and your favorite universe!
- What's the difference between a flying saucer and a flying pretzel?
- Why didn't the aliens in Independence Day have to bother invading the Earth to destroy it?
- What's the most likely scenario for doomsday?
- What do clairvoyance and time travel have in common?
- How might quantum mechanics ultimately affect the fate of life in the universe?
Notes: None.
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The Metaphysics of Star Trek
Author(s): Richard Hanley
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©1997
Condition: Mint
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 0465091245
--Summary--When is it okay to violate Star Fleet's Prime Directive? Is it cheating to be a telepathic psychiatrist? Is it possible to occupy someone else's body?
Wouldn't it be great fun to look back at the carefully created philosophical constraints that guide all Federation behavior, except this time do so through the eyes of a trained philosopher?
Well, fasten your seat belts and hang on tight as The Metaphysics of Star Trek takes you on a fascinating journey through what Trekkers have rightfully called "the greatest thirty-year thought experiment ever undertaken." Filled with examples from all the best episodes, this book is for anyone who has ever found himself replaying, alone or with a fellow Trekker, an episode's philosophical challenges -- for instance, whether or not Data is sentient (if so, what about Lore?); whether Captain Picard violated the Prime Directive to save the life of Wesley Crusher; or whether or not Tuvix had a right to live even if it meant the end of Tuvok and Neelix.
Among the reasons the shows have such loyal followers is the complexity of the moral dilemmas within which the captain and crew of the Enterprise, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine must fit their behavior. Also contributing to the series' special appeal has been the way in which the show evolved to allow Captains Janeway or Sisko to handle the new problems they encounter, many very different from those that taxed the philosophical integrity of Kirk or Picard. So join in with philosopher (and dedicated Trekker) Richard Hanley as he considers "the nature and proper treatment of personhood," or the question of "Insufficient Data: In which we evaluate the rights of computers, androids, exocomps, nanites, and holograms," or the question of "To beam or not to beam?"
The Metaphysics of Star Trek is sure to become a treasured addition to any fan's Star Trek library.
Join philosopher Richard Hanley as he considers:
* Is artificial life alive?
* Is Jadzia Dax identical to Curzon Dax?
* Can a time traveler change history?
* Aliens from Horta to Vulcans to Microbrains
* Should we embrace Star Trek's technological vision of the future?
Notes: None.
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Star Trek Science Logs
Author(s): Andre Bormanis
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©1998
Condition: Mint
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 0671009974
--Summary--Quasars. Wormholes. Cosmic string fragments. Vulcan mind melds. Bioneural gel packs. Dyson spheres.
If you have ever watched a Star Trek television episode or movie, you've heard many words and phrases like these. over its long history, the Star Trek universe has taken us to undreamed-of worlds, employing scientific concepts that often sounded like complete fantasy. After all, a six-foot-tall humanoid couldn't possibly change into a four-pound bird. Or could he...?
Star Trek Science Logs separates the fact from the fantasy. As science adviser on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager, Andre Bormanis is the man to whom the writers and directors turn every day when they want to make their "future science" as plausible and comprehensible as possible. And Bormanis would know: he holds degres in physics and space policy, has conducted research and policy analysis for NASA, and has worked with many top scientists in the fields of astronomy and space science. if there is any basis in contemporary science for exotic spatial anomalies or silicon-based life-forms, Andre will find it.
Now you too can benefit from Bormanis' vast knowledge. From antiprotons to xenotransplantation, it's all in here: clear, concise, entertaining and 100 percent true (well, almost). With the best of Starfleet -- Spock, Jadzia Dax, Harry Kim, Data and others -- accompanying Bormanis as your guides, get ready to embark on a bold journey across the unlimited boundaries of science fact.
Notes: None.
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The Biology of Star Trek
Author(s): Susan Jenkins, M.D. and Robert Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D.
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©1998
Condition: Mint
Printing: 1st PB
ISBN: 0060929243
--Summary--"As this book amply proves, examining Star Trek's universe reveals many a fascinating hidden truth about our own. And vice versa."
-Lawrence M. Krauss, Ph.D., author of The Physics of Star Trek
Could aliens have green blood? Why so Ferengis have such big ears? Is Commander Data really alive?
What Star Trek fan hasn't pondered such weighty questions as these? Now, two noted scientists provide all the answers as they explore the sometimes fanciful, always fascinating, biological issues raised by Star Trek's various incarnations. Entertaining, insightful, and authoritative, The Biology of Star Trek will heighten your appreciation for the mind-expanding magic of Star Trek.
"Informative [and] most entertaining book …. The book will delight die-hard Trekkies."
-Publisher's Weekly
Notes: Previously published as 'Life Signs: The Biology of Star Trek' (Hard Cover)
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To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek
Author(s): Athena Andreadis, Ph.D.
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©1998
Condition: Mint
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 0609603299
--Summary--Is the Vulcan suppression of emotion biologically viable? What terrestrial life-form does the Borg most closely resemble? Where does consciousness go when a crew member of the Enterprise enters the transporter?
If Star Trek has been about the search for life, To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek is about understanding these discoveries as we encounter them with the crews of the Enterprise, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine. Harvard biologist Athena Andreadis takes a lively, thought-provoking look at Star Trek's approach to the science of human, humanoid, and other life-forms, exploring what biological principles are probable or possible on the original show and the three series and nine movies that have followed.
This absorbing, illuminating book makes everyone an armchair expert on the difference between science and science fiction on Star Trek, with keen observations into the series' complex worlds of physiology, psychology, and sociology. Its wealth of scientific detail and cultural insight pays tribute to a show that has profoundly shaped the way we understand and view science.
Notes: None.
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The Computers of Star Trek
Author(s): Lois Gresh and Robert Weinberg
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©1999
Condition: Mint
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 046501299X
--Summary--In the years since the starship Enterprise first set off to seek out new life and new civilizations, Star Trek has stopped being merely a show and is now more like a cultural phenomenon. It is by far the most completely realized future universe in the history of science fiction. And the most important technology in that universe is the computer.
In The Computers of Star Trek, computer scientist Lois Gresh and science-fiction author Robert Weinberg demonstrate how the computers depicted on the show compare with those of today -- and with what we think computers will be like a few decades or centuries hence. Surprisingly, they find that the biggest failing of the Star Trek computers is not that they're too outlandish, but that they're not outlandish enough. We already know that computers in the next few years will be far more capable and interesting than almost anything on the Enterprise.
When the android Data's head is opened, why are there lights inside? If the Enterprise's computer is artifically intelligent, why doesn't it make more decisions? Could we ever create a holographic doctor like the one on Voyager, or use nanoprobes to alter a person's physiology? Why do humans handle the navigation and battle tactics when computers could do a vastly better job? For that matter, why is the Enterprise equipped with a 1970s-era mainframe computer, blown up to gigantic speed and power?
The Computers of Star Trek only now shows the aspects of cyberspace the show failed to predict -- such as cyberterrorism or the Internet -- but also the ways in which it has been remarkably prescient, predicting 3 1/2" disks, palmtop computers, virtual reality and even wearable computers. This combination of futurist TV series and futurist science makes for great entertainment -- and great science.
Advance praise for The Computers of Star Trek
"For the computer illiterate, the Star Trek savvy and all combinations in between, The Computers of Star Trek is not only a painless examination of the history and future of computers but a highly entertaining one as well. I recommend it to all who are prepared to address the future not only in fiction but in fact."
- Walter Koenig
"This informative and entertaining book demonstrates that today's fiction is not tomorrow's reality. The Computers of Star Trek is a fun-filled tour of the technology of Star Trek, today's actual computing technology, and a glimpse of the ships that Kirk, Picard and Janeway will really drive."
- Howard Frank, Former Director, Information Technology Office, DARPA
"The Computers of Star Trek is a must for Star Trek fans and anyone curious about the future of computers. Authors Gresh and Weinberg, famous for their witty and profound science fiction, bring us yet another jewel. Rarely does one come across books on computers with such breadth, beauty and insight."
- Clifford Pickover, author of Surfing Through Hyperspace and The Science of Aliens
"The Computers of Star Trek goes where no other Star Trek book has gone, to the mind and logic of the thinking machines of the primal SF TV universe. Gresh and Weinberg have written a funny and amazing book about a 'hidden' world of Trek."
- Matt Costello, author of Mirage and Masque
"The Computers of Star Trek downloads the hard facts of deep cyberspace from each generation of the legendary television show and makes the details of computer science as engaging as a session in the holodeck. Lois Gresh and Robert Weinberg boldly go into the computer world of the future and report how Star Trek has hit and missed the mark. It's the first must-read computer manual."
- E.C. Krupp, Director, Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles
Notes: None.
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A Tribble's Guide to Space: How to Get to Space and What to do When You're There
Author(s): Alan C. Tribble
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©2000
Condition: Very Good
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 0691050597
--Summary--Space--the final frontier. It's as little as fifty miles away, and yet it is considered one of the most dangerous and remote of places. Popular television shows such as Star Trek and movies such as Apollo 13 and October Sky have fired the imaginations of would-be explorers. Alan Tribble has worked on the design and development of dozens of spacecraft, including the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. A Tribble's Guide to Space is a how-to book that is firmly grounded in the realities of current state-of-the-art space engineering while tapping into the power of imagination that drives us to explore.
Alan Tribble offers a delightful guide to the nuts and bolts of space exploration, from how to get there to how to phone home and how to survive the harsh environment of space. Using examples from famous space missions, both factual and fictional, Tribble tackles fascinating real-world problems encountered in space exploration. Why do submarine hatches open inward and spacecraft hatches open outward? What do curveballs and satellites have in common? Why did Scotty, the chief engineer of the fictional USS Enterprise, always "need more power?" Why did the fire that destroyed Apollo I on the launch pad burn so furiously that no one could react fast enough to save the lives of the crew?
In answering these questions, Tribble examines getting to space, from the physics of motion to the practical implications of Einstein's theory of relativity. He explores the basics of spaceships and starships, from power usage to navigation--all from the viewpoint of a spacecraft designer.
This book describes rocket science and more in a manner that captures the common excitement shared by anyone with an interest in space exploration. Armchair astronauts, engineers who work in a space company and anyone who has looked up at the sky and wondered how we will get there will find reading this book a wonderful and enlightening experience.
Notes: None.
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I'm Working on That: A Trek From Science Fiction to Science Fact
Author(s): William Shatner with Chip Walter
Book Series: Scientific Works
Book Number: Copyright: ©2002
Condition: Mint
Printing: 1st
ISBN: 067104737X
--Summary--"Beam me up, Scotty."
During the 1960s, in an age when the height of technology was a crackly AM transistor radio, Star Trek envisioned a time when communication devices worked without wires.
"Working"
Computers of the decade took up entire climate-controlled rooms and belonged only to the government and a few very large corporations. Yet Captain Kirk had one small enough to sit on the top of his desk -- and it talked back to him.
"Ahead, warp factor 2"
While man still hadn't walked on the moon, the crew of the Starship Enterprise traveled between star systems faster than the speed of light. Its crew was able to walk on other worlds.
Over the past three decades, Star Trek has become a global phenomenon. Its celebration of mankind's technical achievements and positive view of the future have earned it an enduring place in the world's psyche. It has inspired countless viewers to become scientists, inventors, and astronauts. And they, in turn, have wondered if they could make even a little piece of Star Trek real in their own lifetime. As one noted scientist said when he saw a plywood, plaster and plastic set that represented the ship's warp engines, "I'm working on that."
As in his missions aboard the fictional Starship Enterprise, William Shatner, the actor who is Captain James T. Kirk, and his co-author, Chip Walter, take us on an adventure to discover the people who are working on the future we will all share. From traveling through space at warp speeds to beaming across the continent, noted scientists from Caltech to MIT explore the realms of what was once considered improbable and show how it just might be possible.
Notes: None.
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