Table of Contents

Conventions Used in this Book Introduction Entries Acceleration Action-Reaction, Law of Alternate Worlds Androids Atomic Energy Chimpanzees Clones Comets Computers Cryonics Cyborgs Darwin, Charles Death Rays Dinosaurs Dolphins Dreams Earthquakes Eclipses Einstein, Albert Electricity Elephants Epidemics Evolution Evolution, Convergent Evolution, Human Experiments Experiments on Self Extinction Flying Cars Food Pills Franklin, Benjamin Galileo Genes Genetic Engineering Gorillas Gravity Houses, Smart Ideas, Resistance to Inertia Insects Insects, Giant Intelligence, Animal Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence, Human Life, Extraterrestrial Life, Origin of Lightning Longevity Magnetism Mars Matter Transmission Meteorites Mind Control Miniaturization Miracle Drugs Moon Mutations Newton, Isaac Organ Transplants Prehistoric Humans Prehistoric Time Psychic Powers Race Radiation Relativity Religion and Science Reproduction Robots Sharks Space Travel, Interplanetary Space Travel, Interstellar Speed of Light Speed of Sound Superhumans Theory Time Travel UFOs Vacuum Venus Volcanoes Whales General Bibliography Index

Promotional Information

Lifting the curtain on science fiction, the book reveals how and where scientific laws have been discarded for the sake of a good plot.

About the Author

A. BOWDOIN VAN RIPER is a professor in the Department of Social and International Studies at Southern Polytechnic State University. He specializes in the history of science and has written numerous articles on the history of space and aviation.

Reviews

.,."a quirky and fun look at science versus dramatic license in movies, television, written fiction, and music...This book would be especially appropriate for public libraries, particularly those with strong science fiction collections, and would not be a bad addition for undergraduate academic libraries. It also would be quite a handy resource for armchair and professional critics of literature, television, and film."-E-Streams

.,."this may be just right for your library."-Thomson-Gale Reference for Students

?...a quirky and fun look at science versus dramatic license in movies, television, written fiction, and music...This book would be especially appropriate for public libraries, particularly those with strong science fiction collections, and would not be a bad addition for undergraduate academic libraries. It also would be quite a handy resource for armchair and professional critics of literature, television, and film.?-E-Streams

?Recommended. General Readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates.?-Choice

?...this may be just right for your library.?-Thomson-Gale Reference for Students

?This title is an interesting look at science.?-Library Media Connection

?...this may be just right for your library.??Thomson-Gale Reference for Students

?This title is an interesting look at science.??Library Media Connection

..."this may be just right for your library."-Thomson-Gale Reference for Students

"Recommended. General Readers; lower- and upper-division undergraduates."-Choice

"This title is an interesting look at science."-Library Media Connection

..."a quirky and fun look at science versus dramatic license in movies, television, written fiction, and music...This book would be especially appropriate for public libraries, particularly those with strong science fiction collections, and would not be a bad addition for undergraduate academic libraries. It also would be quite a handy resource for armchair and professional critics of literature, television, and film."-E-Streams