Overview
- Focuses on basic physics, mainly high-school arguments, in science fiction
- Analyses works of Jules Verne, Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven and Andy Weir
- Discusses exiting and entertaining findings in the context of space travel
Part of the book series: Science and Fiction (SCIFICT)
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Table of contents (5 chapters)
Keywords
About this book
There is a huge gulf between the real physics of space travel and the way it is commonly portrayed in movies and TV shows. That’s not because space physics is difficult or obscure – most of the details were understood by the end of the 18th century – but because it can often be bafflingly counter-intuitive for a general audience. The purpose of this book isn’t to criticize or debunk popular sci-fi depictions, which can be very entertaining, but to focus on how space physics really works. This is done with the aid of numerous practical illustrations taken from the works of serious science fiction authors – from Jules Verne and Arthur C. Clarke to Larry Niven and Andy Weir – who have taken positive pleasure in getting their scientific facts right.
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Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Andrew May obtained a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Manchester and is an experienced and versatile professional, with a career spanning academia, government and private industry. Since 2011 he has been working as a freelance writer. He has a wide range of interests and has written both authoritatively and entertainingly on the physical sciences, military technology, British history, science fiction, New Age beliefs and the paranormal. He has published with Springer: Pseudoscience and Science Fiction (2017), The Telescopic Tourist's Guide to the Moon (2017), Rockets and Ray Guns: The Sci-Fi Science of the Cold War (2018), Fake Physics: Spoofs, Hoaxes and Fictitious Science (2019) and The Science of Sci-Fi Music (2022).
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: How Space Physics Really Works
Book Subtitle: Lessons from Well-Constructed Science Fiction
Authors: Andrew May
Series Title: Science and Fiction
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33950-9
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-33949-3Published: 29 June 2023
eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-33950-9Published: 28 June 2023
Series ISSN: 2197-1188
Series E-ISSN: 2197-1196
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: VI, 151
Number of Illustrations: 12 b/w illustrations, 32 illustrations in colour
Topics: Astrophysics and Astroparticles, Classical and Continuum Physics, Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Exploration and Astronautics), Classical and Continuum Physics