In both the past and present we have continued to study space. It started with looking at the sky and has evolved into finding ways to obtain information by sending machines into space. Star Trek is all about exploring “strange new worlds”, seeking out “new life and new civilizations” in outer space. In order to do this the technology on the show is very advanced. We’ve caught up to some of Star Trek’s technology, which I will point out later, but we may need to wait until the 23rd century when Star Trek takes place. Throughout the Star Trek series space travel is highly advanced but not impossible.

The article, “Tricorders”, by Sheridan, Barrett, and Mark Milian; talks about the Star Trek tricorders and their appearance in present day technology. On Star Trek, tricorders are devices that can scan people or areas and find a variety of information on them.  The technology now is a lot more advanced than it was a when they filmed the show. Many people have been working on ways to create and use a tricorder. According to this article we are getting close to inventing something similar to the Star Trek tricorder. Different universities, professors, and even designers are working to find a way to get so much information on small samples. They use different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum to learn more information on certain things. The closest we are to a medical tricorder would be a “puck like gadget” by Yves Behar, a famous designer. Based on electric signals, his invention can measure vital signs like; temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. With this information, we will probably be able to invent something similar to the Star Trek tricorder in the near future.

        In “The Science of Star Trek”, Denny Atkin lists many Star Trek instruments similar to some we have today. Star Trek is a futuristic show and it’s author’s have to think hard in order to stay ahead of our present technology. If you look back on older shows in the Star Trek series you see things that are now reality. One thing almost everyone has now is a cell phone. On Star Trek there was a similar instrument called a communicator. The communicator flipped open and looks more like a walkie-talkie but it was similar to a phone from the 1990’s. Another thing they didn’t have while making older versions of Star Trek was voice activated instruments. Now our phones are surprisingly small but can still use voice activation, like Siri, a virtual assistant. We tell it a command and if we speak clearly enough Siri will do it. Over the years we have been lucky enough to accomplish these technological feats.
The entire setting and structure of Star Trek needed to be carefully thought through; otherwise, according to science, the whole expedition would be impossible. In many sources the one thing many writers talk about are the wormholes. This would be extremely hard to build with the technology we have now. Wormholes are like black holes and teleporters. Wormholes suck you in like a black hole but they shoot you horizontal instead of vertical. A wormhole is similar to teleportation because you enter it from on place and end up in another. Wormholes are, theoretically, possible but the hard part is getting it to open and stay that way. Another problem would be finding a way to keep your body in one piece. With gravity pulling you from both sides you would be stretched apart unless a way was found to resist the pull. This is why wormholes cannot be made today but could be in the future.

Another thing on Star Trek that I personally find amazing is the Enterprise, the spaceship used to make space trips and explorations. With everything on the Enterprise you’d need tons of energy and an amazing power source to keep it moving, and even more power to keep the crew comfortable. The source of energy would also need to be small so it wouldn’t take up too much space. The Enterprise has the power to make comfortable living quarters, food, heating, force fields, artificial gravity, it has  offensive and defensive weapons/devices, etc. All these things would be necessary when exploring space. Where you live and eat definitely affects your work so you need to be comfortable. You would also need to have oxygen and gravity. Without oxygen a human would die in mere minutes. Human bones get weak without gravity. While exploring the galaxy you would also need to be prepared for intelligent life, so the Enterprise needs to be armed and protected. Along with powering the ship and the technology on the Enterprise, more energy is still needed to travel at “warp speed” or, faster than the speed of light. The Enterprise would be one of the greatest creations in history.

Besides what I have shared with you there are still many things, which occur in Star Trek, that I believe to be impossible. Gravity is a subject we don’t fully understand. On the Enterprise they use artificial gravity, which couldn’t be made without first understanding natural gravity. In the original series, Star Trek takes place in the future where prejudice is non-existent. The human race is focused on improving their personal character. In our present society this goal seems impossible. Everyone see’s things with a different point of view, changing their ideals and opinions. In America we say, “all men are created equal”, and although racism isn’t as obvious as it was in history, prejudice still exists between races. Greed plays a big part in society today; in every major city you find poverty and homelessness. Without solving these physical and emotional problems prejudice will always exist especially were race is involved in the past and present.

Star Trek is definitely something that we should all strive for. That way of life is fun, exciting, and different. If Star Trek were to become reality I think our lives would simply become more enjoyable. In a world without prejudice, money, and poverty I believe that everyone would be happier and kinder. I await the day when everyone on Earth is agreeable and we all find each other’s company engaging. In technology we’re catching up and if we study and experiment, many things in Star Trek are sure to appear in reality. If we continue to find our way through space we will eventually find the answers to many of our questions. I think Star Trek space travel and living is a future worth striving for.