Science of the impossible....

[Warped9]

I enjoy reading about speculative science, not just how it's used in SF novels but also nonfiction articles and books. I like having some understanding of how this stuff works (or not) or how it could feasibly work (or not).

I also like to delve into it because it stimulates my thinking in regards to my own tries at original SF writing. I've gotten ideas from nonfiction works of Robert Heinlien, Robert Forward, Lawrence Kraus, Arthur C. Clarke, Charles Sheffield, Larry Niven, Ray Kurweil, Michio Kaku and others.

Today I just picked up the trade paperback edition of a book I've been eager to get into: Michio Kaku's Physics Of The Impossible. I've just read the preface and introduction so far and it's really whet my appetite, but presently I'm about a quarter of the way into Larry Niven's Fleet Of Worlds and so I'm going to finish that before diving into Kaku's book.

I love this stuff because it adds texture and substance (or lack thereof) to many of the things we see in film and TV SF, most particularly Star Trek of course.

I have friends who also enjoy this materiel in terms of discussion, but they don't like to actually read the source materiel--they just prefer the context of seeing it depicted onscreen or in a novel. Maybe they feel it's like seeing the "behind the scenes" extras on DVD that spoils the F/X magic.

For myself I think it adds to the magic, particularly on those occasions when the film and television producers get it generally right.

Anyone else enjoy this kind of materiel?

 

[Anticitizen]

http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/rocket3a.html

This is a site that serves as a guide to aspiring science fiction writers to get their science as sciencey as possible. I've spent many hours there, it's quite fascinating. Use the drop-down menu at the top to move through sections.

 

[Warped9]

^^ Interesting link. Thanks. However, I have stuff in my own personal library that goes beyond what appears to be covered at that link and with greater detail.

 

[Warped9]

Finished.

I tore through this book in no time. It's eminently readable and makes complex ideas accessible to most.

It affirmed much of what I already knew and understood yet it did introduce me to some ideas I'd never heard of.

Levitation of nonmagnetic materiels and objects through diamagnetics and how a deflector shield could actually possibly work. Anyone here ever hear of a plasma window? It blew my mind with its implications if you could scale it up. Not only could it possibly be a deflector shield yet it could also serve as a force field like that seen in TOS' brig and the TNG shuttle bays.

 

[Anticitizen]

They'd save a lot of power if they used a door

 

[TIN_MAN]

Yeah, I was amazed at how 'real' the plasma window thing was! I always assumed it was too far fetched and down right risky, not to mention power consuming , but it seems to have serious real world aplications for future space travel?