Star Trek: 40 Years of Inspiring Young Minds

[Ivan Seeking]

What an incredible story: An unpopular and short lived series refuses to die, and now, along with its offspring, Trek spans forty years that have inspired countless young minds.
http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/

[The History Channel is currently running a two-hour documentary in honor of Treks 40th birthday.]

Many, many, scientists and engineers will tell you that Star Trek played a significant role in their early love of science. Trek devices and ideas have inspired real technolgy and science, and we have even named a space craft, Enterprise, in honor of Roddenberry's contribution to the spirit and love of space exploration.

You'll never catch me at a Trek convention, and I can't cite Trek statistics or tell you the going price for dilithium crystals, but Trek captured my heart in 1966 and never let go. I for one consider Roddenberry a hero, and the success of Star Trek nothing less than a cultural phenomenon; visionary and, at least in its influence, on par or far exceeding the work of Verne, and Orwell. It is hard to do better than inspiring entire generations of scientists and science lovers.

 

[Integral]

Can we really attribute the name Enterprise to Star Trek? http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-e/entrp5.htm" was first commissioned in 1877, The second Enterprise played a historic role in WWII, the 3rd and current USS Enterprise was commissioned in 1965, still 2 years before Star Trek. I always thought that Star Trek simply adapted a historic name to connect to a past we were familiar with. Isn't is a bit of circular logic to give credit to Star Trek for the name of the space shuttle?

 

[Cyrus]

I like the TNG series. I enjoy the actors/plots. I don't care for any of the new stuff though.

 

[Kurdt]

Can we really attribute the name Enterprise to Star Trek? http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-e/entrp5.htm" was first commissioned in 1877, The second Enterprise played a historic role in WWII, the 3rd and current USS Enterprise was commissioned in 1965, still 2 years before Star Trek. I always thought that Star Trek simply adapted a historic name to connect to a past we were familiar with. Isn't is a bit of circular logic to give credit to Star Trek for the name of the space shuttle?

Well they were going to name it Constitution but Trek fans wrote to the president until they gave in and called it Enterprise. If I remember correctly Star Wars fans not wanting to be out-done campaigned to get it called millenium falcon but that's just silly.

Yey! Well done Star Trek

 

[Janus]

Can we really attribute the name Enterprise to Star Trek? http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-e/entrp5.htm" was first commissioned in 1877, The second Enterprise played a historic role in WWII, the 3rd and current USS Enterprise was commissioned in 1965, still 2 years before Star Trek. I always thought that Star Trek simply adapted a historic name to connect to a past we were familiar with. Isn't is a bit of circular logic to give credit to Star Trek for the name of the space shuttle?

Kurdt's right, They were going to name it differently and had their minds changed by the write-in campaign. Gene Roddenberry and most of the original cast were special guests at the dedication ceremony. It was even rolled out of its hangar to the Star Trek theme.

Ironically enough, Gene was not all that happy with the name. He felt it held too much of a military heritage and felt that the shuttle should have been named after a famous ship of exploration instead. (Of course it could have been worse, if they had kept one of the original concept names for the ship in Star Trek, our first shuttle could have been the "Yorktown".)

So while the Starship Enterprise was named after earlier ships from history, It was the Starship Enterprise that inspired the name of the Shuttle Enterprise.

However, the Star Wars fans part is a bit off, as the Enterprise rolled out of its hangar in 1976, almost a year before Stars Wars came out. They may have campaigned to change the name of a later shuttle though, I don't know.

 

[Evo]

I like the TNG series. I enjoy the actors/plots. I don't care for any of the new stuff though.

TNG is my favorite. They lost me with Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

 

[russ_watters]

Heh - I didn't know that about the space shuttle. I had always assumed it was based on the ship(s). I was always surprised there wasn't also a space shuttle "Intrepid" (we've had 4 and the British 8 ships with that name). We've had 8 enterprises (the British 14). Constitution would have been a reasonble name too, though.

 

[Janus]

To further betray my Star Trek geekiness:

Of course, if they had known at the time that the first shuttle would never be made space-worthy, The fans would have better serve their purpose by waiting to have the second shuttle named Enterprise. The funny thing about this is that it would have been a closer parallel to the Star Trek universe. In Star Trek mythos, the Enterprise is a Constitution class starship and the second of its line( the Constitution, NCC-1700 being the first).

 

[Kurdt]

However, the Star Wars fans part is a bit off, as the Enterprise rolled out of its hangar in 1976, almost a year before Stars Wars came out. They may have campaigned to change the name of a later shuttle though, I don't know.

Oh well seems I've fallen victim to an urban legend. I can always claim I'm too young to know any better anyway

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It was even rolled out of its hangar to the Star Trek theme.

Which I remember very well. It was a stellar day for geeks!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The miniture NCC-1701-D, sold at Christies for $500,000.

Picard's flute [name that episode] sold for $40,000. Patrick Stewart was clearly thrilled to hear this, but he had to laugh as he pointed out that the flute doesn't even play.

On a sad note, the original NCC-1701 miniature only snatched a quarter million.

 

[Kurdt]

The miniture NCC-1701-D, sold at Christies for $500,000.

Picard's flute [name that espisode] sold for $40,000. Patrick Stewart was clearly thrilled to hear this, but he had to laugh as he pointed out that the flute doesn't even play.

I'd have loved to be able to be at that sale and buy something

Picards flute was from the Inner Light when an alien probe downloads a lifetime of experience from a dead alien planet.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I think there was only one item that sold for less than $2K. Many people there were completely unprepaired and absolutely blown away by the bids.

 

[turbo]

TNG is my favorite. They lost me with Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

I didn't even make the transition to TNG well. My favorite space opera is Babylon 5. Good character development, with people changing over time, as people do, and usually some good plots, based on themes covering racism, slavery, alcoholism, nationalism, personal growth, betrayal, etc.

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

I didn't even make the transition to TNG well. My favorite space opera is Babylon 5. Good character development, with people changing over time, as people do, and usually some good plots, based on themes covering racism, slavery, alcoholism, nationalism, personal growth, betrayal, etc.

Babylon-5 was excellent, well developed plot written far in advance, and the humans finally weren't the big I am in the galaxy, just a player and a small one at that; this kind of appealed to me, the idea that we go from space travel to being the big Federation very quickly given there were already plenty of races, never sat very well with me. Not that I dislike Star Trek, in all its incarnations it was great entertainment, but it's nice to see something a little more real, if you see what I mean.

For this reason I think Battlestar Gallactica is another excellent series, it has some real depth, certainly a departure from the original. Which was fun but no where near as gripping.

I'd recommend Stargate also.

 

[Evo]

Picard's flute [name that episode] sold for $40,000. Patrick Stewart was clearly thrilled to hear this, but he had to laugh as he pointed out that the flute doesn't even play.

That's one of my favorite episodes.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

To me, the difference between Trek and the other shows was that Trek pioneered new ideas and explored the remote recesses of theoretical physics for its inspiration. IMO, the rest are just space operas and never have captured my interest, with the exception of Stargate SG1.

We once spent an entire QM lecture discussing the Heisenberg compensators.

Me too, Evo.

There were also the social contributions made: MLK once contacted Nickelle Nichols [Uhura] to tell her what an inspiration she [her character] had been for black women everywhere. She was a black woman who held a command position, the first ever seen in such a role, and when she kissed Kirk, it was the first interracial kiss on TV.

 

[Kurdt]

To me, the difference between Trek and the other shows was that Trek pioneered new ideas and explored the remote recesses of theoretical physics for its inspiration. IMO, the rest are just space operas and never have captured my interest, with the exception of Stargate SG1.

We once spent an entire QM lecture discussing the Heisenberg compensators.

Me too, Evo.

There is a satisfaction in recognising the concepts behind certain equipment from their names such as the Heisenberg compensators and you mention and the Bussard collectors etc. Also as you mentioned in the original post it inspired a lot of now available equipment, mobile phones for a rather obvious example.

 

[Evo]

I'm still waiting for a replicator.

Tea...Earl Grey...hot!

 

[turbo]

To me, the difference between Trek and the other shows was that Trek pioneered new ideas and explored the remote recesses of theoretical physics for its inspiration. IMO, the rest are just space operas and never have captured my interest, with the exception of Stargate SG1.

My problem with Trek was that it was Gunsmoke in outer space. The same core cast of characters playing off the same relationships. I mean, put a vest and a cowboy hat on the McCoy character and have him say "Dammit, Matt, I'm a doctor not a miracle worker!" Then Miss Kitty would stand him to a beer. Don't get me wrong - I liked the original Trek, but then again I liked Gunsmoke, Maverick, etc, too. There just wasn't much good programming on TV during the '60s, unless you count comedy-variety shows like the Smothers Brothers and Laugh-In.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

My problem with Trek was that it was Gunsmoke in outer space.

IIRC, that is how exactly how Roddenberry pitched it to the Network... or maybe that's what the network wanted...Janus? Anyway, it was a tough sell when, as my dad once said, US TVs were full of nothing but horse sh't and gunsmoke. [When the TV failed one day, he claimed that this is what he found inside]

One possible correction: After thinking about it, I'm not sure now if it was MLK, or his wife, Coretta Scott King, who spoke with Nichols, but in any case, the Ohura character was a notable social contribution; especially when one considers the time. Recall that MLK was killed in 1968.

 

[Kurdt]

One possible correction: After thinking about it, I'm not sure now if it was MLK, or his wife, Coretta Scott King, who spoke with Nichols, but in any case, the Uhura character was a notable social contribution; especially when one considers the time. Recall that MLK was killed in 1968.

Ahh yes the famous first inter-racial kiss on television between Kirk and Uhura. Ground-breaking too.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I think Lucy and Desi beat them for first interracial TV kiss. But first black/white kiss - yes, probably.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I'm still waiting for a replicator.

Tea...Earl Grey...hot!

It it all clear now...Tsu thinks I'm a replicator!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I think Lucy and Desi beat them for first interracial TV kiss. But first black/white kiss - yes, probably.

What do you mean? Lucy was Cuban.

Well, I don't think they ever shared a passionate kiss, but, good point.

Interesting, recall that Star Trek was produced by Desilu productions.

 

[Janus]

IIRC, that is how exactly how Roddenberry pitched it to the Network... or maybe that's what the network wanted...Janus?

He pitched it as "Wagon trail to the Stars" (After all, during the '60s westrens were king). The first pilot "The Cage" didn't sell simply because the network thought it was too "cerebral" and didn't hold up the the billing. They were impressed enough with what they saw to ask fro a second pilot (almost unheard of) and the second attempt, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" sold the series.

Anyway, it was a tough sell when, as my dad once said, US TVs were full of nothing but horse sh't and gunsmoke. [When the TV failed one day, he claimed that this is what he found inside]

One possible correction: After thinking about it, I'm not sure now if it was MLK, or his wife, Coretta Scott King, who spoke with Nichols, but in any case, the Ohura character was a notable social contribution; especially when one considers the time. Recall that MLK was killed in 1968.

It was MLK. At the time, she was thinking of quitting the series, and when she told him, he said "You can't!".

 

[Janus]

What do you mean? Lucy was Cuban.

Well, I don't think they ever shared a passionate kiss, but, good point.

Interesting, recall that Star Trek was produced by Desilu productions.

Funny story about that, It seems that Lucy wasn't paying that much attention when the show was pitched to the studio. About the only thing that stuck with her was the title "Star Trek" and somewhere along the line she got it into her head that it was about celebrities perfoming on a cruise ship.

 

[Cyrus]

What do you mean? Lucy was Cuban.

Well, I don't think they ever shared a passionate kiss, but, good point.

Interesting, recall that Star Trek was produced by Desilu productions.

Is this sarcasm, I can't tell?

Shes not cuban.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

It was MLK. At the time, she was thinking of quitting the series, and when she told him, he said "You can't!".

Ah, that's right. I didn't want to overdramatize things but I remembered it being a surprising story.

Cyrus, Lucy was famous for her red hair...

And, all geeks are hereby fined three bars of gold-pressed latinum for failing to note that Picards flute was featured in two, not one episode! I believe that it made a couple of showings in a third as well... I am so ashamed.

 

[Cyrus]

Bing bang.

 

[Evo]

And, all geeks are hereby fined three bars of gold-pressed latinum for failing to note that Picards flute was featured in two, not one episode! I believe that it made a couple of showings in a third as well... I am so ashamed.

I thought you were talking about the show where he got it. Yes, he played it in several shows.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Evo tries to pull a Ferengi on me...

Too late now, please transport my latinum.

 

[Cyrus]

here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsICpvgHIh8&mode=related&search=

 

[Evo]

here you go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsICpvgHIh8&mode=related&search=

Ooooh.

 

[Evo]

Evo tries to pull a Ferengi on me...

Too late now, please transport my latinum.

As soon as I get a transporter I'll send them right over.

 

[turbo]

As soon as I get a transporter I'll send them right over.

Apparently you have one of the newer replicators with the latinum-block programming in place. How much do you need?

 

[Janus]

For anyone interested in the "nuts and bolts" of the making of the original series, I highly recommend:
The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield and Gene Roddenberry.
An excellent look at the inner workings of the show. (Including such tidbits as the story that showed what lengths Leonard Nimoy would go to in order to get pencils for his secretary.)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

One thing about what Turbo said. I think with TNG, Trek did begin to evolve into a space opera. In the original, one never knew what to expect. Of course, this was partly a blessing of its short life. In TNG, however, and especially near the end, and certainly in the other series, I think they ran out of ideas. For one, they went way too far with the Klingon death, pain, mourning etc rituals. I mean, come on, how many Klingon songs can we tolerate?? They got far to involved with developing the cultures and interpersonal relationships, and lost focus on what made Trek unique - the ideas and the vision.

I also remember noticing the lack of creativity, for example, when Troi and Crusher were seen working out; doing stretching, and wearing clothing, typical of ~1990. I think this was in the episode "Sub Rosa". What, no tachyon emitter to grow the muscles? No holographic environment to entertain while challenging? I remember thinking that this could be a scene from any modern aerobics class. How boring!

I didn't watch every episode of the later series as I did with Trek, and TNG. Voyager and DS 9 were okay, but they really were space operas more than anything. In fact, sitting here, I can't think of one truly new idea produced by either show. And I had high hopes for Enterprise since I liked Bakula from Quantum Leap, but I have only watched about a half dozen episodes. I think the lesson there was that you can't go back. Any future Trek will have to be forward looking if it is to capture the essence of what made Trek work.

Will Trek ever return, or has the adventure truly ended? Did the people at Christies pay the highest price that their beloved props will ever fetch? I was struck by the fact that the NCC-1701-D fetched twice the price as the original. This does not bode well for the investment value of these objects.

 

[Janus]

And I had high hopes for Enterprise since I liked Bakula from Quantum Leap, but I have only watched about a half dozen episodes.

The only Episode of "Enterprise" that really peaked my interest was towards the end of the last season. It was entitled "In a Mirror Darkly" and was a two-parter.

The only reason I even started to watch it was that I caught the following teaser and intro while flipping channels:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqPuMuV7q88&NR


The story takes place entirely in the alternate universe introduced in the TOS episode "Mirror Mirror" (The one where Spock has the beard).

Basic plot:

The Terran Empire is fighting a rebellion and isn't doing well. Archer finds out that the Tholians have obtained an advanced Starship and he forms a plan to capture it.
The advanced Starship turns out to be the U.S.S Defiant, the starship lost in an interdimensional rift in the TOS episode "The Tholian Web"; The rift had transported the Defiant to this universe and back in time.

Archer captures the Defiant, intending to use it to crush the rebelion (and make himself a hero to the Empire in the process).

One of the highlights of this episode is seeing a TOS style starship during battle done with 21st century special effects:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkbS_k_ei6Q&NR

 

[Kurdt]

I think Ivan is correct. You can never go back. What star trek was about was finding a better future and you must always go forward. As a Trek fan I found Enterprise extrememly irritating because the history I had built up through watching TOS TNG DS9 and VOY, was systematically destroyed and inconsistencies started to crop up which had been very rare previously in the world of star trek. For instance the fact the NX class had photon torpedoes when as we know from TOS that Daedalus class starships still carried nuclear warheads as an obvious example. The 11th film is on the way and its is based in the "past" of the star trek universe. It seems to me that this could destroy the franchise when looking to the future could save it.

 

[Janus]

I think Ivan is correct. You can never go back. What star trek was about was finding a better future and you must always go forward. As a Trek fan I found Enterprise extrememly irritating because the history I had built up through watching TOS TNG DS9 and VOY, was systematically destroyed and inconsistencies started to crop up which had been very rare previously in the world of star trek. For instance the fact the NX class had photon torpedoes when as we know from TOS that Daedalus class starships still carried nuclear warheads as an obvious example. The 11th film is on the way and its is based in the "past" of the star trek universe. It seems to me that this could destroy the franchise when looking to the future could save it.

What I found an especially egregiuos affront was the whole "temporal cold war" thing. It was made quite clear in the TOS episode "The Naked Time" that time travel, up to then, was not considered possible. But in "Enterprise" time travel popped up all over the place.

BTW, did you ever wonder why they put that little moving backwards in time sequence at the end of "The Naked Time"? The reason is that it was originally going to be a two part episode, the second half was to be the episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (the one where they accidentally get thown back to the 1960's) The above mentioned sequence was meant to be the cause of their being thrown back in time.

 

[Kurdt]

BTW, did you ever wonder why they put that little moving backwards in time sequence at the end of "The Naked Time"? The reason is that it was originally going to be a two part episode, the second half was to be the episode "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (the one where they accidentally get thown back to the 1960's) The above mentioned sequence was meant to be the cause of their being thrown back in time.

Interesting bit of trivia I shall have to add it to my own

 

[George Jones]

TOS, as one of the reasons that I studied theoretical physics and relativity on my own and at university, has had a big impact on my life. (I do not consider myself a trekker/trekkie.)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Best Trek one-liners?

I have two:

"Who put the tribbles in the quatrotriticali" - Kirk

For some reason I have always found that sentence to be implicity humorous.

And one of my favorites from TNG: "She kissed me in the torpedo bay" - Data.

One of my favorite social conundrums was the return to normalcy for Janeway and Paris after getting it on as lizard things. Now that would be difficult to forget.

I think Data may have been my all-time favorite character; if nothing else, because he waxed poetic over his cat, Spot.

Ode to Spot

Felis Cattus, is your taxonomic nomenclature,
an endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature.
Your visual, olfactory and auditory senses
contribute to your hunting skills, and natural defenses.

I find myself intrigued by your subvocal oscillations,
a singular development of cat communications
that obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
for a rhythmic stroking of your fur, to demonstrate affection.

A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents;
you would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance.
And when not being utilized to aide in locomotion,
it often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.

O Spot, the complex levels of behaviour you display
connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.
And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend,
I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.

 

[Janus]

Best Trek one-liners?

I have two:

"Who put the tribbles in the quatrotriticali" - Kirk

For some reason I have always found that sentence to be implicity humorous.

And one of my favorites from TNG: "She kissed me in the torpedo bay" - Data.

One of my favorite social conundrums was the return to normalcy for Janeway and Paris after getting it on as lizard things. Now that would be difficult to forget.

I think Data may have been my all-time favorite character; if nothing else, because he waxed poetic over his cat, Spot.

"Warrior's drink!"
Worf, after getting his first taste of prune juice.

 

[Newbie says Hi]

To me, the difference between Trek and the other shows was that Trek pioneered new ideas and explored the remote recesses of theoretical physics for its inspiration. IMO, the rest are just space operas and never have captured my interest, with the exception of Stargate SG1.

Say it isn't so, Ivan! I thought mentors upheld higher standards in science!

I mean, using zero-point energy as a power source? Extracting "free energy?" I hope the US Patent office isn't watching.

How do I even know of such plot devices? Well, I used to LOVE SG1 once upon a time, but as my understanding of physics grew, I found that show to be, well, inspired by crackpot literature.

(Oh and, I mean... no offence)

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

Say it isn't so, Ivan! I thought mentors upheld higher standards in science!

I mean, using zero-point energy as a power source? Extracting "free energy?" I hope the US Patent office isn't watching.

How do I even know of such plot devices? Well, I used to LOVE SG1 once upon a time, but as my understanding of physics grew, I found that show to be, well, inspired by crackpot literature.

(Oh and, I mean... no offence)

Oh and Star Trek is legitimate science is it?

 

[Evo]

Oh and Star Trek is legitimate science is it?

You mean the warp core doesn't really use dilithium crystals?

 

[Schrodinger's Dog]

You mean the warp core doesn't really use dilithium crystals?

Now come on I didn't say that, obviously dilithium is real

Actually what the hell is dilithium, I always wondered?

 

[Newbie says Hi]

Oh and Star Trek is legitimate science is it?

Oh please, there is no comparison! Star Trek (the original series) is 300 years into the future (from their original airdate), whereas SG1 is happening right now. I can't suspend my disbelief in the plot device that our govn't is that technologically advanced RIGHT NOW... enough to violate our current known laws of physics. The govn't isn't efficient enough to keep all that secret.

I mean, I am willing to suspend my disbelief at the impossible, but not at the improbable! (no it's not mine!)