This week in Science Friday, watch the final night launch of the Space Shuttle program, discover a stunning 165-million-year-old spider, tell time more accurately than ever (with lasers!), probe the sun inside and out, and find a really good excuse for missing your boring math class. All this and much more, plus our gadget of the week: Robonaut2.
Yesterday TrekMovie presented an editorial by former Star Trek science advisor Andre Bormanis, supporting the new proposed change in NASA’s human spaceflight policy that including cancelling the Constellation program. Today we present an different point of view from veteran Trek designers (and active space advocates) Mike and Denise Okuda.
In 2008 Star Trek writer/producer and science advisor Andre Bormanis wrote an editorial here at TrekMovie about the presidential campaign and the future of NASA, advocating the Constellation program. Barack Obama (a Trekkie) went on to win the election and this week his administration announced a major shift in NASA policy, including the cancellation of Constellation. Today Andre is back with his thoughts on the new NASA.
This week, Hubble has announce two amazing discoveries. In order to celebrate one of our most beloved spacecraft, we’ve dedicated this week’s Science Friday to the Hubble Space Telescope. See the most detailed view of Pluto ever, an asteroid collision, and learn all about Hubble’s humble beginnings. All this and more, plus our gadget of the week: the iPad(d) wall.
Last night was the highly-anticipated premiere of the sixth and final season of Lost, with the two part episode "LA X". As usual with the show, it was very mysterious and at times possibly even confusing. But any fan of Star Trek might have had an advantage in trying to figure it all out. [LOST SPOILERS below]
[UPDATED] The rumor over the weekend was that Sir Patrick Stewart may be rejoining his Nemesis pal Tom Hardy for Mad Max 4, but it turns out that it isn’t true. Oh well, Stewart will be appearing in tonight’s Frontline Special "Digital Nation", and you can watch a clip of him below talking technology where he balks at Twitter, but expresses love for his iPhone.
This week in Science Friday: What is the fate of the Spirit Rover? Is nuclear fusion becoming a reality? Does Obama want to cancel a return to the moon? Can you skydive from more than 100,000 feet? All these questions answered! Plus, check out our gadget of the week: NASA’s Puffin personal air vehicle.
This week, Trekkies are in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the premier of Star Trek Voyager. Staying in the spirit, we’ve decided to bring you a very special ‘Science of Voyager’ edition of Science Friday this week. Is the Caretaker’s array really possible? Are the badlands a kind of phenomenon we might actually encounter in space? Are bio-technological space ships possible? What about holographic doctors? Answers to all these and more!
Next week Jolene Blalock, Star Trek Enterprise’s sexy Vulcan first officer T’Pol, begins her stint in a recurring role on the fantasy show Legend of the Seeker. We have a video preview and photos of Jolene playing "Sister Nikki".
Welcome to Science Friday! This week, solve the mystery of our solar system’s own space ribbon, pre-game with rocket scientists, see the destructive power of a magnitude 7 earthquake, and use science to find out why you don’t have a girlfriend. All this and more, plus our gadget of the week: LG’s E-Ink Newspapers!
Last week TNG’s Brent Spiner and LeVar Burton attended the big Consumer Electronics Show (see previous TrekMovie CES party report and pics). And while they were on the show floor they dropped by the live streaming This Week in Tech show hosted by Leo Laporte. The pair talk Tech, Trek, and more. Watch it below.
Next Gen stars LeVar Burton and Brent Spiner are in Las Vegas this weekend attending the Consumer Electronics Show and were featured guests at Friday nights "It Won’t Stay in Vegas" blogger party. TrekMovie sent our Las Vegas correspondent (and former Star Trek The Experience actor) Lisa Blake to the event, where she got the pair to talk some tech (and some Trek).
Welcome to Science Friday! It’s 2010 and that means there’s a whole new year of science and technology to be had. This week, we look at some new crazy schemes put on by the Russian space agency, the discovery of several new exoplanets, a supernova that could destroy the Earth, and much more. All this plus our gadget of the week: Vscan, the modern medical tricorder.
Later this week the annual Consumer Electronics Show kicks off in Las Vegas. And visitors to the Dolby Booth will be able get their pictures taken the new Star Trek 2009 movie captain’s chair. Plus you can party with LeVar Burton and Brent Spiner. Details below.
Tonight Star Trek got the Mythbusters experience as the Discovery Channel show took on the Gorn cannon from the original series episode "Arena". See below for a recap and images, plus links to extra video angles of the final result. [spoilers from Mythbusters]
In the 24th century depicted by Star Trek: The Next Generation (and DS9 & VOY), alcohol has been superseded by ‘synthehol’, which removes the effects of intoxication and addiction. However, it seems this is another bit of Treknology that will become a reality long before we Trek to the stars. Details below
Last week was the annual American Geophysical Union Fall Conference in San Francisco, California: A place where new geoscience research is presented en masse to over 15,000 geoscientists. TrekMovie was there to catch all the action. So, this week we bring you an AGU edition of Science Friday with highlights from the conference. Of course, today is also Christmas, so Science Friday will also bring you a bit of sciency xmas cheer.
A new study published this month in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology suggests that Star Trek may be partly responsible for widening the gender gap in computer science careers. Their findings imply that nerdy stereotypes associated with Star Trek and computer science may dissuade women from joining that field. As a woman of science who was largely inspired by Star Trek, I have a few doubts about the study’s findings. Read on and find out why.
This week our regular science writer Kayla is attending an important science conference and learning important sciencey stuff, so instead of our regular science article, we bring you a new show airing this month on PBS, exploring the science of Star Trek, hosted by LeVar Burton on the set of the Enterprise D.
Back in July we first reported that the geek-tastic Discovery Channel show Mythbusters was going to take on Star Trek Cannon (not canon). Today they released a preview of their research into Gorn Cannon from the original Star Trek episode "Arena". See it below.
Next week IDW continues their return to the 24th century and the Enterprise D with Issue #2 of "Star Trek The Next Generation: Ghosts," written by Zander Cannon. TrekMovie has the exclusive five-page preview below. Plus, Star Trek comics have come to the Sony PSP.
If you are hoping to catch a ride on the first private commercial passenger spacecraft, you will be riding on a spacecraft named ‘Enterprise’, more specifically Virgin Galactics VSS Enterprise, which was unveiled Monday night. More details below.
Welcome to Science Friday! This week, explore mars with the sand trapped Spirit rover, see Cpt. Piccard fly a solar plane, own your very own robot scientist, and send a message to whales in space. All this an more plus our gadget of the week: the collapsible lampshade that’s made with lasers!
JJ Abrams may have cut the Klingons out of his Star Trek movie, but they are at the heart of Cryptic’s upcoming Star Trek Online MMORPG. In a clever marketing movie, today Cryptic launched Tweetinklingon.com which helps you use the popular Twitter system, in Klingon.
There has been much written connecting President Barack Obama to Star Trek, spurred on by Obama’s own references to the franchise. In a new feature article today, the AP draws a specific comparison between the President and Star Trek’s Mr. Spock. The article also has comments from the original Spock, Leonard Nimoy, and Star Trek co-writer Roberto Orci, excerpts below.
From its humble beginnings, the Star Trek franchise has taken the science in its science-fiction seriously. Over the decades many ‘Treknologies’ have become realities, while some are still only theoretical. It is these kinds of concepts that will be the subject of a new Science Chanel show premiering tonight, where physicist Michio Kaku explores "Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible".
Kayla gets this week off, so your humble editor will once again tackle the exciting world of science. This week we start our post-Thanksgiving hangover by digesting some turkey facts and news. We find out that the second man on the moon is no fan of Orion, check out Cassini’s latest vacation photos from Saturn, check in on the now back online LHC, and finish off with a ringing video of the week and chrome gadget of the week.
Is it really that time again? Yep, can you believe it, it’s already Science Friday! Catch up on sciencey goings on this week and watch the fireball that lit up Utah, get up close and personal with some tiger stripes, cheer on the Spirit Mars rover, and teach your computer to think like a cat! All this and more plus our gadget of the week: Frolicat!
So much science, so little time! This week in Science Friday, DON’T PANIC come December, 2012, learn why Ares is Time’s invention of the year, discover new dinosaur species, study how butterflies flutter in space, and buy future beach-front property in the middle of Africa. All this and more plus our gadget of the week: The not-so-fantastic USS Enterprise Chandelier! Oh, and are you ready to swim on the moon?
Happy (early) Halloween from Science Friday! This week, take a look at the successful Ares 1-X launch, a real life Star Trek translator, new planet exploring robots, and get some last minute geeky Halloween costume ideas, plus see some suggestions sent in by TrekMovie readers. All this and so much more. Plus, celebrate the Internet’s 40th birthday!