Somewhat interesting anecdote.

Jessie Stamos · Post by **Jessie Stamos** » 2004-08-27 12:16am

So because of my University's core-class program, I have to take an introductory astronomy class. And I mean introductory. The guy spent several minutes today explaining what a light year is. You can't imagine how hard it is to stay awake for that at 8:00 in the morning.

Anyway, he was making a point about how huge these distances really are, and he mentioned Star Trek. He said that even their technology required may years to cross their galaxy, to give us an idea of how impossibel it really is for us to ever explore far into space. Then he said, "You need something like Star Wars ships to cross distances like these in short order."

So one of the guys in the class yelled out something about Star Trek ships being faster, and the prof slapped the guy down. He actually cited a reference in the middle of class to prove SW ships are faster. It was pretty funny seeing something like what goes down here happen out in the real world.

Have any of you ever witnessed something like that? Outside a group of fans discussing it privately, I mean. But a public slap-down?

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-08-27 12:27am

Seriously? I didn't know anyone outside of the vs community that we for the most part personally or by association know gave a shit. Interesting to see that other people have put more than 2 seconds of thought into it as well.

Jessie Stamos · Post by **Jessie Stamos** » 2004-08-27 01:06am

Well, he wasn't citing exact numbers or anything like that. But he noted that Star Trek is all about them going on long expeditions exploring the uncharted parts of their galaxy, while in Star Wars they zip all over the galaxy like it was nothing.

Bob the Gunslinger · Post by **Bob the Gunslinger** » 2004-08-27 01:36am

What school are you going to?

I had an intro Astro prof at Cal who used the Kessel Run (Han and Chewey going past a black hole) as the basis for one of his problems on the final.

Jessie Stamos · Post by **Jessie Stamos** » 2004-08-27 01:44am

Ball State.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-08-27 02:36am

In a discovery channel documentary renowned Professor Michio Kaku was was explaining different types of civilizations. He explained that the Empire is a type 3 civilization that controlls the resources of an entire Galaxy, on the other hand the Federation is barely a type 2 civiliztion. Take that Stewart, straight from a renowned scientist.

Bob the Gunslinger · Post by **Bob the Gunslinger** » 2004-08-27 04:49am

That's cool, but what is a type 2 or type 3 civilization? What's the difference? Is this like the difference between a civilization in the Consolidation phase and the Inclusion phase?

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-08-27 06:34am

Bob the Gunslinger wrote:That's cool, but what is a type 2 or type 3 civilization? What's the difference? Is this like the difference between a civilization in the Consolidation phase and the Inclusion phase?

There are three types of civilizations. A Russian scientist came up with the idea IIRC. Type 1 is a civiliaztion that has harnassed the energy of a planet. If we dont blow ourselves up we would reach type 1 with a few decades. Type 2 is a civilization that has harnassed the energy of a star. The Federation comes close. Type 3 is a civilization with the resources of an entire galaxy. The Empire and is like that.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-08-27 10:02am

Jessie Stamos wrote:Ball State.

Really? Who's the prof?

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2004-08-27 11:31am

It really just seems like common sense when you watch the source material that Wars is faster.

The only real problem passages (and here I'm talking to the general audience who doesn't have a scientific background or degree):

Han Solo's statement about ".5 past lightspeed."

Star Trek V's "going to the center of the galaxy" thing.

Enterprise getting all the way to the Klingon homeworld in that primitive ship so fast.

But Voyager alone proves that even high level ships take forever to get anywhere (seven whole seasons demonstrating the fact). AOTC shows how quickly ships can go all over the galaxy, as well as ESB's "broken hyperdrive" thing and numerous other scenes.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2004-08-27 11:36am

Oops, forgot...

And the Ent-E getting from the "Neutral Zone" to the battle with the Borg Cube around earth so fast in STFC.

To the general viewer they probably look at Trek and see capital ships wallowing about in battle. In Wars they see the same thing, except they also see fast fighters duking it out alongside.

But anyone who's seen more than a few dozen episodes and a few movies can see the difference in travel times.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-08-27 11:42am

Give the prof the URL of this forum

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2004-08-27 12:52pm

I got into a pro saxton argument with my LPO. No idea what he ended up thinking, but since the guy defines the term "inept", I really don't care.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2004-08-27 09:11pm

Slartibartfast wrote:Give the prof the URL of this forum

So you want to drive him insane too?!

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2004-08-27 09:18pm

*wonders how anal sex could be incorporated into a physics problem*

Something to do with measuring friction, perhaps?