Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel

“One day, would it be possible to walk through walls? To build starships that can travel faster than the speed of light? To read other people’s minds? To become invisible? To move objects with the power of our minds? To transport our bodies instantly through outer space?

Since I was a child, I’ve always been fascinated by these questions.”

In the Preface, Kaku uses rapid-fire rhetorical questions to whet readers’ curiosity and introduce some of the topics he explores in the book. The rhetorical questions encourage readers to consider the potential answers and implications while casting doubt on conventional assumptions that such feats are impossible. In addition, this passage alludes to the power of curiosity and imagination in science, thematically aligning with The Role of Storytelling in Advancing Scientific Inquiry.

“Carl Sagan once wrote, ‘What does it mean for a civilization to be a million years old? We have had radio telescopes and spaceships for a few decades; our technical civilization is a few hundred years old…an advanced civilization millions of years old is as much beyond us as we are beyond a bush baby or a macaque.’”

The author quotes world-famous astronomer and scientific communicator Carl Sagan (1934-1996), lending authority and credibility to an expressed opinion that matches Kaku’s own. Sagan’s rhetorical question emphasizes humanity’s lack of knowledge about advanced civilization, and the simile “as much beyond us as” illustrates this gap by comparing our own advancement to that of small mammals. By showing the comparative primitiveness of our society when juxtaposed with a theoretical one that has advanced for millions of years, Sagan shows the limits of human understanding regarding what is possible.

“In 1984 the world’s first commercial automated maglev system began operation in the United Kingdom, running from Birmingham International Airport to the nearby Birmingham International railway station. Maglev trains have also been built in Germany, Japan, and Korea, although most of them have not been designed for high velocities. The first commercial maglev train operating at high velocities is the initial operating segment (IOS) demonstration line in Shanghai, which travels at a top speed of 268 miles per hour. The Japanese maglev train in Yamanashi prefecture attained a velocity of 361 miles per hour, even faster than the usual wheeled trains.”

Kaku uses specific facts and figures to introduce a real-world example of magnetic levitation technology in use, thematically illustrating The Impact of Collective and Individual Scientific Achievements. Precise numbers and stats convey the velocities and characteristics of the different models, while the listing of locations where maglev trains are in use shows their widespread presence in technologically advanced countries.