We may think of ancient cultures as rudimentary – but in reality, the humans living hundreds and even thousands of years ago were remarkably savvy, establishing the foundations of the same science that we use today. From early Mesopotamia to the Stone Age, through Ancient Greece and Rome, the pirates of medieval England and the seafaring Vikings of Scandinavia, the time of the Samurai, Chinese dynasties, and cowboy cultures from the American West to South American ranches and the Mongolian...

One day, astrobiologists could make the most fantastic discovery of all time: the detection of complex extraterrestrial life. As space agencies continue to search for life in our Universe, fundamental questions are raised: are we awake to the revolutionary effects on human science, society and culture that alien contact will bring? And how is it possible to imagine the unknown? In this book, Mark Brake tells the compelling story of how the portrayal of extraterrestrial life has developed o...

Take a trip beyond this Earth to explore the myths of The Mandalorian and uncover the anatomy of the newest space western in the Star Wars Universe.Star Wars dominates the film world. The combined box office revenue of the Star Wars movies equates to over $10 billion, making it the second highest-grossing film franchise of all time. But this franchise is no blaster from the past. Its fantastically successful films have now been followed b...

An In-Depth Analysis of The Beatles' Music and the Theory, Techniques, and Technology That Made It PossibleWhen people look back in two hundred years time at our culture, whose music will have survived from today? Who will be our equivalent of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven? The big story of contemporary popular music has been The Beatles. They were the chief architects of the fusion of classical and popular music to create a new musical mainstream.From the ti...

Discover the science behind the most popular sci-fi franchise of all time!Capturing the imagination and hearts of crowds worldwide, Star Wars is a fantastic feat of science fiction and fantasy. The Science of Star Wars addresses 50 topics that span the movies’ universe such as battle technology, alien life, space travel, etc. You’ll find fascinating explorations of the physics of Star Wars, its plausibility, and more. The...

Learn about the science used by Luke Skywalker, Kylo Ren, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, and more in the Star Wars galaxy.Star Wars has captured the hearts and imaginations of sci-fi fans worldwide. We all marvel at its dazzling variety of aliens, spaceships, and planets. That’s because there’s something revolutionary about the actual science in Star Wars. These painted pictures from the movies make us see the universe in a new light. They in...

Discover the scientific secrets of Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore, and more in J. K. Rowling’s universe.Movie-goers and young readers the world over have been spellbound by the tales of “the boy who lived.” J. K. Rowling’s stories have conjured ideas of magic and sorcery into our minds like no other book series before. But nature is its own magic. And Muggle scientists have uncovered answers for the weird and wonderful questions from the magic world. Questions su...

Boldly go where no man has gone before and discover the real science behind the cyborgs, starships, aliens, and antimatter of the Star Trek galaxy.Star Trek is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time. It has changed our cultural landscape in so many ways since it first aired in 1966. The franchise has generated billions of dollars in revenue, leading to a wide range of spin-off games, novels, toys, and comics. Star Trek i...

Let Mark Brake open your eyes to how science fiction helped us dream of things to come and building the future we inhabit—from Star Trek to The Martian, from Back to the Future to Guardians of the Galaxy from 2001: A Space Odyssey to The Avengers.Media headlines declare this the age of automation. The TV talks about the coming revolution of the robot, tweets tell tales of jets that will ferry travelers to the ed...

Discover the science behind the abilities of your favorite superheroes—the physics, chemistry, and biology of Superman, Iron Man, Captain America, Aquaman, Spiderman, Cyborg, and more!The concept of the superhero has permeated our culture. They fascinate their fans with their incredible superhuman abilities and impressive technology. But do you ever wonder if any of it is plausible or rooted in fact?Enter The Science of Superheroes, which address m...

An essential read for the legions of Sherlockians about the globe.Sherlock Holmes is the world’s greatest-ever consulting detective. The huge popularity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fictional creation, and his sixty stories, made Sherlock one of the most famous characters of Victorian London.All evidence suggests Sherlock’s fan adoration has lasted almost one and a half centuries through many adaptations. There is Sherlock fan fiction in China, Sherlock mang...

Discover the real science behind 2001, ET, Signs, and all your favorite fictional alien civilizations.As space telescopes continue to search for life in this unearthly Universe, the crucial questions remain unanswered. Are we awake to the revolutionary effects on human society and science that alien contact will bring? And how is it possible to imagine the unknown? The Science of Aliens tells the compelling story of how the portr...