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Star Trek Credited With Inspiring Science

By Michelle
September 28, 2006 - 9:18 PM

Australian researcher Djoymi Baker credits Star Trek with predicting technological developments and incorporating classical mythology into its ethos.

A Discovery Channel article states that the University of Melbourne professor, an admitted fan, wrote a dissertation on media and popular culture which claimed that science fiction media like Star Trek can influence real developments in science, like the space shuttle.

"Because it's gone on for so many decades ['Star Trek' has] had a big impact on what people think about space and what might be possible in the future," she said. "A lot of NASA astronauts cite it as their inspiration; scientists have cited it as their inspiration for new technology." Star Trek also influenced the development of clamshell cell phones and automatic doors.

"They can't beam you up yet but they're starting to do experiments along those lines," noted Baker, who added that Star Trek had a tendency to place humans at the center of its ever-expanding universe, incorporating ancient mythology both directly, with the presence of Apollo, and indirectly, with siren-type women luring men to their doom. "Just as you might have met strange creatures in an ancient myth, instead you find strange creatures in outer space."

The original article is here.

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