mondojohnson

Last night the Science Channel premiered its new show Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible, which features Dr. Michio Kaku exploring various sci-fi technologies — e.g. the light saber or time machines — and seeing if there are plausible ways of manufacturing the tech without violating the laws of physics. Each half-hour show is devoted to a single technology; Kaku explores its possibilities and challenges, and then creates a theoretical model which he presents to adoring sci-fi fans at the end of the show.

The premiere episodes — two, back to back — looked at warp drives and portals to alternate universes. Hard core science and sci-fi dorks like myself are probably up-to-date with the theories and applied science that might lead to these devices, but that doesn’t diminish the fun of watching how a real theoretical physicist brainstorms the problem. And some of the proposed solutions are truly visionary, like assembling a particle accelerator on the asteroid belt that rings the solar system.

Kaku is a proud sci-fi fan, and gets as excited as any Trekkie when considering the possibilities. And unlike some other “hard scientists” he doesn’t condescend to his fellow fan boys and girls; in fact, the show treats them as extremely well-informed and passionate amateur scientists. This is demonstrated in the beginning of each show, in which the technology in question is meticulously described by true-blue dorks at a sci-fi convention. And, as mentioned earlier, the dorks get the final vote (so to speak) on the feasibility of Kaku’s solutions.

Sci-Fi Science is good stuff, joining an already great line up on the Science Channel.

Sci-Fi Science Tuesdays at 10PM on the Science Channel. Best viewed in HD!