Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination

by MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, BOSTONDANIELS, ANTHONY

• ISBN13: 9780792241836
• ISBN10: 0792241835
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-10-04
• Publisher: National Geographic

Summary

Just saying the wordsStar Warsevokes images of whooshing light sabers, Luke Skywalker's landspeeder racing above the sand, and epic battles between the forces of good and evil that take place in the farthest reaches of space.Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imaginationexplores how George Lucas's incredible use of science and technology may have presaged-and at times directly influenced-the future of life on Earth and beyond. From commercial space flight and super-speed trains that levitate by magnetism to robot servants and microscopic nanorobots that perform surgery internally, scientists inspired byStar Warsare taking fictional ideas and turning them into reality. In the next twenty years, human soldiers will be outfitted like stormtroopers, impervious to chemical weapons and equipped with superhuman endurance. Such advances, while monumental, also raise huge ethical questions. The book gives voice to the scientists and creators of the technologies whose stories describe the complexities and consequences of such advances. Perfectly timed to coincide with the DVD release of the final film in the prequal series and to take full advantage of the 9-city exhibition as well asStar Wars's cross-generational appeal,Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imaginationwill delight both fans of the films and the technologically savvy.

Author Biography

Lucasfilm, Ltd. is one of the world's leading film and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company.

The Museum of Science, Boston, is one of the world's premier scientific institutions, with an institutional focus on hands-on engagement with science and technology.

Anthony Daniels began his acting career in 1973 on the British stage. In 1975, his exceptional miming and vocal skills caught the attention of film director George Lucas, who cast him as the golden robot C-3PO in Star Wars. Daniels went on to become the only actor to appear in all six Star Wars films and is the only human to be inducted into the Robotics Hall of Fame. He tours the planet, lecturing on Star Wars and robotics.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. 12
Introduction	p. 14
Getting around	p. 22
Introduction	p. 24
Space, time, and star wars	p. 28
Air and space vessels : a gallery	p. 38
Making the jump to light speed	p. 46
Maglev trains	p. 64
Star wars vessels : a gallery	p. 68
Visual concepts in star wars	p. 78
Living on coruscant	p. 86
Roberts and people	p. 90
Introduction	p. 92
Artificial intelligence	p. 96
Man, machine, robot, and cyborg	p. 108
Implants and prosthetics : a gallery	p. 122
Human-robot relationships	p. 128
The Segway HT	p. 146
Bringing a movie robot to life	p. 152
Star wars Droids and Cyborgs : a gallery	p. 160
Digital flesh and bones	p. 170
Astronauts, robonauts, and the moon	p. 178
Epilogue	p. 192
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.