Star Trek's Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura) to Christen the Real World Federation Headquarters

Nichelle Nichols

On September 10-12, 2021, Nichelle Nichols will meet with fans for autographs, photos and other activities during her trip to Northwest Ohio to officially christen the headquarters of the International Federation of Trekkers on Cleveland Road in Huron.

• The Federation is the only Star Trek fan club founded with the approval of series creator Gene Roddenberry. After 36 years of service, the organization moved into its new headquarters facilities in fall of 2020. Fans, donors, volunteers and tourists are welcome to visit the new facility.

"The new facility is the culmination of a dream. It is a testament to the selfless work and gifts of our volunteers and donors over these many years," mentioned Russ Haslage, cofounder of The Federation. "And there is nothing more fitting than to have my long-time friend and 'adopted' showbiz mom here to officially christen the location."

Lt. Uhura (screengrab)

In a career spanning seven decades, Nichols has been a singer, dancer and actress on stage, television and movies, but is best known in her groundbreaking role as Lt. Uhura, the communications officer on the U.S.S. Enterprise in Star Trek, the original series, and six subsequent movies.

While at Federation headquarters, Nichols will sign autographs and pose for photos with fans in the replica of Captain James T. Kirk's chair on the Enterprise bridge. An opportunity to have dinner with Nichols is also available. All proceeds from the meet-and-greet will benefit Nichols' retirement fund.

Star Trek, the original series (screengrab)

The Federation was founded in 1984 by fan Russ Haslage and Gene Roddenberry, the creator of the show. Its mission is to maintain shared interest in the Star Trek universe and, in keeping with the mission of the United Federation of Planets, to help others.

• The Federation has more than 30 chapters with a total of more than 2,100 members, with charitable works including the funding of local museums, offering food, clothes and school supplies to local children, feeding the homeless and much more including even a mission in Zimbabwe.

The visitor's center at Federation World Headquarters.

The organization's new world headquarters facility features a visitor's center, gift shop and much more. It is open to fans and visitors and can be found at 501 Cleveland Road West, in Huron, Ohio. 

Their website can be found at trekfederation.com.

• The Federation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible.

SOURCE: The Federation

Related Star Trek Stories:

• 'Star Trek' Production Illustrator John Eaves to Receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards
• The First Ever 'Star Trek' Film Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary As 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' Returns to the Big Screen for Two Days Only
• US: Fathom Events Celebrates #BlackHistoryMonth With First Film Series This February [Trailers Included]
• TV's First Interracial Kiss Launched A Lifelong Career In Activism

'Star Trek' Production Illustrator John Eaves to Receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th Annual Art Directors Guild Awards

Production Illustrator John Eaves to be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Art Directors Guild at the 25th Annual ADG Awards on April 10, 2021.

Concept Artist John Eaves, known for his iconic illustrations and designs for the Star Trek series and for the numerous science fiction realms he created, will receive the Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800) Lifetime Achievement Award from the Illustrators and Matte Artists (IMA) at the 25th Annual ADG Awards. 

Herman Zimmerman, Emmy-nominated Production Designer for the Star Trek franchise, will be presenting the award to Eaves. 

• The event will celebrate Eaves' artistic contribution to the many space vehicles, sets, and concepts that have become classics in the Marvel, Star Trek and Sci-Fi worlds that we know today.

The Awards ceremony, set for Saturday, April 10, 2021, will break with tradition in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be presented on a virtual platform, streaming to a worldwide and more inclusive audience. This is the final of four Lifetime Achievement Awards to be announced by the Art Directors Guild. 

• The event is free to everyone, but registration is required at adgawards25.com.

"For the past 36 years, John's work as a Production Illustrator has been an integral part of over 100 films and television shows. From props, to sets, to vehicles, to gadgets, and, most prominent and recognizable, a small fleet of starships for the Star Trek franchise, John has inspired many and left an amazing mark on our industry. We celebrate his creativity, talent, and contributions to the Craft and honor him with this year's Lifetime Achievement Award," said Tim Wilcox, ADG Illustrators & Matte Artists Council Chair.

John Eaves has worked as a concept artist on many of Hollywood's most successful franchises, creating iconic Sci-Fi images of futuristic worlds, vehicles, spaceships, and otherworldly designs that have become the foundations and concepts of over 100 award-winning motion picture franchises. These include four Star Trek movies; Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides; Spider-Man: Homecoming; Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Iron Man 3.

His talented prop designer and diverse model maker skills are on display in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Ant-Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man 2, Batman Forever, Toys, Die Hard 2, RoboCop 2 and The Hunt for Red October, among many others.

Eaves' groundbreaking work has garnered him numerous awards, including four previous ADG awards. As a child, John was fascinated with aircraft and science fiction and how films came together, a fascination that continued into adulthood and which led to a highly successful 36-year career and still counting.

The event is free to everyone, but registration is required at adgawards25.com

As previously announced, Ryan Murphy, one of television's most successful award-winning writers-directors-producers whose shows have consistently reflected the highest quality of production design, will receive the esteemed Cinematic Imagery Award, presented by actor Matt Bomer, star of Ryan's "American Horror Story," "Glee," "American Crime Story," "The Normal Heart" and, most recently, "The Boys in the Band."

Academy Award- and Emmy-winning Production Designer Stuart Wurtzel, ADG, known for his work on Hannah and Her Sisters and "Angels in America," will receive the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Production Designers and Art Directors Council (AD). Martha Johnston, ADG, dynamic artist best known for her over 60 movie and television design credits, is set to receive the ADG Set Designers & Model Makers (SDMM) Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Scenic Artist Patrick DeGreve, ADG, best known for his prolific backings, sets and props for shows created at CBS TV City over the past 45 years, will receive the ADG Lifetime Achievement Award from the Scenic, Title & Graphic Artists (STG). 

• A complete list of past honorees can be found on ADG's website. #iwillbethere #adgawards

• Producer of this year's ADG Awards (#ADGawards) is Production Designer Scott Moses, ADG. 

Final online voting will be held through April 7, 2021, and winners will be announced at the virtual gala ceremony on Saturday, April 10, 2021. ADG Awards are open only to productions when made within the U.S. by producers signatory to the IATSE agreement. Foreign entries are acceptable without restrictions. 

The Invite - Art Directors Guild (IATSE, Local 800)

SOURCE: Art Directors Guild (IATSE, Local 800)

US: Fathom Events Celebrates #BlackHistoryMonth With First Film Series This February [Trailers Included]

This February, Fathom Events will launch the company's first Black History Month film series, Fathom Events Celebrates Black History Month, in cinemas across the U.S. 

Movie-goers will have the opportunity to delve into the diverse lives, historic accomplishments and award-winning filmmaking of some of the most influential African American entertainers in modern history. The five-film series includes acclaimed feature films that highlight the lives, experiences and impact of American musical icons, a documentary that explores an entertainer's groundbreaking work with NASA, and a faith-based drama about the importance of family and lifelong faith.

The lineup for the 2021 Fathom Events Celebrates Black History Month film series is:

• Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA
• Ray
• Get on Up
• God's Compass
• TCM Big Screen Classics: Boyz n the Hood 30th Anniversary

"Fathom specializes in curating and distributing a wide variety of content for all movie-goers. We are privileged to utilize our platform to honor Black History Month with films that bring important stories to the big screen," said Ray Nutt, Chief Executive Officer, Fathom Events. "We hope this film series will reach new audiences who will learn about the amazing contributions of these entertainers and experience some great movies."

'Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA'

Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA (2020)

• DATE: Tues., Feb 2
• CAST: Nichelle Nichols, Ashley Eckstein, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Dorn, George Takei and Pharrel Williams.
• DIRECTED BY: Todd Thompson

Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA - Trailer:

In 1977, with just four months left, NASA was struggling to recruit scientists, engineers and astronauts for their new Space Shuttle Program. That is when Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek's Lt. Uhura, challenged them by asking the question, "Where are my people?" With NASA's backing, she embarked on a national PR blitz, recruiting 8,000 of the nation's best and brightest, including the trailblazing astronauts who became the first African American, Asian and Latino men and women to fly in space. This is her—and their—story.

ADDED VALUE: Following the feature presentation, fans will be treated to an exclusive behind the scenes documentary about the making of Woman in Motion, which includes additional interviews with Nichols and other notable guests from the documentary, deleted scenes and additional footage from the making of the film.

Ray

Ray (2004)

• DATE: Tues., Feb 9 & Sat., Feb 13
• CAST: Jamie Foxx, Regina King and Kerry Washington
• DIRECTED BY: Taylor Hackford
• SCREENPLAY: James L. White

Ray (2004) - Trailer:

Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx (Dreamgirls) stars as the one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who overcame impossible odds to become a music legend. Ray is the triumphant and remarkable story of one of America's true musical geniuses, Ray Charles. From his humble beginnings in the South through his meteoric rise to the top of American music charts, Ray's inspirational journey is a tale of hope, redemption and the power of the human spirit. "Ray is Electrifying" hails Peter Travers of Rolling Stone. Witness the incredible true story of a musician who fought harder and went further than anyone could imagine.

Get on Up

Get on Up (2014)

• DATE: Tues., Feb 23 & Sat., Feb 27
• CAST: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, and Viola Davis
• DIRECTED BY: Tate Taylor
• SCREENPLAY: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth

Get on Up (2014) - Trailer:

Based on the incredible life story of the Godfather of Soul, Get On Up gives a fearless look inside the music, moves, and moods of James Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Chadwick Boseman (42) stars as Brown, and is joined by Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis, Jill Scott, Craig Robinson, and Dan Aykroyd in the Tate Taylor directed drama.

God's Compass

God's Compass (2016)

• DATE: Thurs., Feb 25 & Fri., Feb 26
• CAST: Karen Abercrombie, T.C. Stallings, Jazelle Foster and Joey Ibanez.
• DIRECTED BY: Stephan Schultze

God's Compass - Trailer:

On the night Suzanne Waters celebrates her retirement, she is faced with a series of decisions that change her life forever. Trusting God's direction, her truth becomes clear as she takes in a troubled teenager, Eli, and her family embarks on the journey of adoption, healing, and renewed faith.

• 2016 "Best Screenplay" winner - International Christian Film Festival.

ADDED VALUE: An exclusive introduction from beloved lead actress, Karen Abercrombie, as she revisits God's Compass for its special return to the big screen.

Boyz n the Hood

TCM Big Screen Classics: Boyz n the Hood 30th Anniversary

• DATE: Sun., Feb 28 & Wed., Mar 3
• CAST: Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Morris Chestnut, and Larry Fishburne
• WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY: John Singleton

Boyz n the Hood - Trailer:

Writer/director John Singleton's acclaimed debut is a graphic and powerful look at life in South-Central Los Angeles as a trio of young men attempt through different means to escape the violence-filled life of the streets.

• Singleton was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay at the 64th Academy Awards, making him the youngest person and the first African-American to be nominated for Best Director.

ADDED VALUE: This special 30th anniversary event includes exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies.

Tickets for Woman in Motion: Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek and the Remaking of NASA, Ray and TCM Big Screen Classics: Boyz n the Hood 30th Anniversary are available now at FathomEvents.com/blackhistorymonth or at participating theater box offices. Visit the Fathom Events website to purchase tickets for all titles in the series which will become available closer to the event date. 

• Please continue to check the Fathom Events website and sign up for alerts. (theaters and participants are subject to change)

SOURCE: Fathom Events

The First Ever 'Star Trek' Film Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary As 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' Returns to the Big Screen for Two Days Only

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

In 1979, the Starship Enterprise flew its very first big-screen mission in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," and to mark the film's 40th anniversary, Fathom Events and Paramount Pictures will bring this awe-inspiring adventure back to America's movie theaters for two days only, on September 15 and 18.

In its first nationwide cinema release since the film premiered in December 1979, the original theatrical cut of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" will include the film's soaring overture by famed composer Jerry Goldsmith. 

• Preceding the film, this special presentation will also feature the behind-the-scenes documentary short "The Longest Trek: Writing the Motion Picture."

A mammoth undertaking by Oscar winning director Robert Wise, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" boldly took audiences further into the final frontier than ever before and kicked off one of the biggest franchises in movie history. 

The film became the fourth highest grossing of the year and earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, and Best Music, Original Score.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

• Starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan, "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" sees Admiral James T. Kirk return to the helm of an updated U.S.S. Enterprise to confront an alien spacecraft of enormous power heading toward Earth.

"'Star Trek: The Motion Picture' is a visual marvel and a film that even many ardent 'Star Trek' fans have never had an opportunity to see on a big screen. Fathom Events is honored to celebrate this cinematic classic's 40th anniversary with this special theatrical presentation," said Tom Lucas, Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations.

• Tickets to "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" are available beginning Friday, August 2, at www.FathomEvents.com or participating theater box offices

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

SOURCE: Fathom Events

TV's First Interracial Kiss Launched A Lifelong Career In Activism

Nervous about how southern television viewers would react, NBC executives closely monitored the filming of the kiss between Nichelle Nichols and William Shatner. (U.S. Air Force)

On Nov. 22, 1968, an episode of “Star Trek” titled “Plato’s Stepchildren” broadcast the first interracial kiss on American television.

The episode’s plot is bizarre: Aliens who worship the Greek philosopher Plato use telekinetic powers to force the Enterprise crew to sing, dance and kiss. At one point, the aliens compel Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Captain Kirk (William Shatner) to embrace. Each character tries to resist, but eventually Kirk tilts Uhura back and the two kiss as the aliens lasciviously look on.

The smooch is not a romantic one. But in 1968 to show a black woman kissing a white man was a daring move.

The episode aired just one year after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Loving v. Virginia decision struck down state laws against interracial marriage. At the time, Gallup polls showed that fewer than 20 percent of Americans approved of such relationships.

Hear Prof. Delmont discuss this topic on our Heat and Light podcast

As a historian of civil rights and media, I’ve been fascinated by the woman at the center of this landmark television moment. Casting Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura created possibilities for more creative and socially relevant “Star Trek” storylines.

But just as significant is Nichols’s off-screen activism. She leveraged her role on “Star Trek” to become a recruiter for NASA, where she pushed for change in the space program. Her career arc shows how diverse casting on the screen can have a profound impact in the real world, too.

‘A triumph of modern-day TV’ 
In 1966, “Star Trek” creator Gene Rodenberry decided to cast Nichelle Nichols to play Lieutenant Uhura, a translator and communications officer from the United States of Africa. In doing so, he made Nichols the first African-American woman to have a continuing co-starring role on television.

The African-American press was quick to heap praise on Nichols’s pioneering role.

The Norfolk Journal and Guide hoped that it would “broaden her race’s foothold on the tube.”

The magazine Ebony featured Nichols on its January 1967 cover and described Uhura as “the first Negro astronaut, a triumph of modern-day TV over modern-day NASA.”

Yet the famous kiss between Uhura and Kirk almost never happened.

After the first season of “Star Trek” concluded in 1967, Nichols considered quitting after being offered a role on Broadway. She had started her career as a singer in New York and always dreamed of returning to the Big Apple.

But at a NAACP fundraiser in Los Angeles, she ran into Martin Luther King Jr.

Nichols would later recount their interaction.

“You must not leave,” King told her. “You have opened a door that must not be allowed to close…you changed the face of television forever…For the first time, the world sees us as we should be seen, as equals, as intelligent people.”

King went on to say that he and his family were fans of the show; she was a “hero” to his children.

With King’s encouragement, Nichols stayed on “Star Trek” for the original series’ full three-year run.

Nichols’ controversial kiss took place at the end of the third season. Nichols recalled that NBC executives closely monitored the filming because they were nervous about how Southern television stations and viewers would react.

Nichelle Nichols recounts the reaction to filming the first interracial kiss on television.

After the episode aired, the network did receive an outpouring of letters from viewers – and the majority were positive.

In 1982, Nichols would tell the Baltimore Afro-American that she was amused by the amount of attention the kiss generated, especially because her own heritage was “a blend of races that includes Egyptian, Ethiopian, Moor, Spanish, Welsh, Cherokee Indian and a ‘blond blue-eyed ancestor or two.’”

Space crusader 

But Nichols’s legacy would be defined by far more than a kiss.
After NBC canceled Star Trek in 1969, Nichols took minor acting roles on two television series, “Insight” and “The D.A.” She would also play a madame in the 1974 blaxploitation film “Truck Turner.”

She also started to dabble in activism and education. In 1975, Nichols established Women in Motion, Inc. and won several government contracts to produce educational programs related to space and science. By 1977, she had been appointed to the board of directors of the National Space Institute, a civil space advocacy organization.

That year she gave a speech at the institute’s annual meeting, “New Opportunities for the Humanization of Space, or Space: What’s in it for Me?” In it, she critiqued the lack of women and minorities in the astronaut corps, challenging NASA to “come down from your ivory tower of intellectual pursuit, because the next Einstein might have a Black face – and she’s female.”

Several of NASA’s top administrators were in the audience. They invited her to lead an astronaut recruitment program for the new space shuttle program. Soon, she packed her bags and began traveling the country, visiting high schools and colleges, speaking with professional organizations and legislators, and appearing on national television programs such as “Good Morning America.”

“The aim was to find qualified people among women and minorities, then to convince them that the opportunity was real and that it also was a duty, because this was historic,” Nichols told the Baltimore Afro-American in 1979. “I really had this sense of purpose about it myself.”

In her 1994 autobiography, “Beyond Uhura,” Nichols recalled that in the seven months before the recruitment program began, “NASA had received only 1,600 applications, including fewer than 100 from women and 35 from minority candidates.” But by the end of June 1977, “just four months after we assumed our task, 8,400 applications were in, including 1,649 from women (a 15-fold increase) and an astounding 1,000 from minorities.”

Nichols’s campaign recruited several trailblazing astronauts, including Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, Guion Bluford, the first African-American in space, and Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space.

Nichelle Nichols speaks after the Space Shuttle Endeavour landed at Los Angeles International Airport Friday in September 2012. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Relentless advocacy for inclusion 

Her advocacy for inclusion and diversity wasn’t limited to the space program.
As one of the first black women in a major television role, Nichols understood the importance of opening doors for minorities and women in entertainment.

Nichols continued to push for African-Americans to have more power in film and television.

“Until we Blacks and minorities become not only the producers, writers and directors, but the buyers and distributors, we’re not going to change anything,” she told Ebony in 1985. “Until we become industry, until we control media or at least have enough say, we will always be the chauffeurs and tap dancers.”

It’s an issue that, unfortunately, remains relevant today. In February of this year, UCLA’s annual Hollywood Diversity Report found that women and people of color continue to be underrepresented as directors and in studio board rooms. It concluded that “Hollywood studios are leaving money on the table by not developing films and TV shows with more diverse casts.”

Fifty years ago, Nichols’s kiss may have broken an important cultural barrier. But as Nichols well knows, the quest to secure opportunities for women and minorities persists to this day – an effort that requires relentless pressure.


About Today's Contributor:
Matthew Delmont, Professor of History, Arizona State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

New Star Trek Klingons Are Rooted In Our Own Distant Past – Ancient History Expert

A ship of klingons. (Netflix/Jan Thijs)

By Eve MacDonald, Cardiff University

Star Trek has always reflected the contemporary political atmosphere and ideologies in which it is created. From the original series in the 1960s with its peace, love and interracial kiss, to the 1990’s post-Cold War Next Generation, the world-view of progressive western ideology has featured strongly in the stories of everyone’s favourite group of space explorers.

The original Klingons of the 1960s. © 1969 Paramount Pictures

Across each new iteration, the Klingons – a humanoid warrior species – have often been the alien of choice. The 1960s Klingons were bad, untrustworthy, duplicitous enemies, but visually they looked pretty close to the sapiens on the Starship Enterprise. They were the “other”, but that “other” was also us. They were the Cold War Soviets mixed with a bit of the Japanese from World War II (another enemy, the Romulans, also wore that hat).

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, the Klingons were more physically differentiated by exo-skeletal additions but they were friends now, not enemies any more, and although slightly erratic allies they fought on the same side as the Federation. It was the post-Cold War world.

Us and them
So what to make of the new Netflix series Discovery and its version of the Klingons? Set further in the past than the other series, watchers have been given a race of new/old Klingons which is physically extraordinary, kitted out like badass Egyptian warriors. Gone are progressive views of understanding the commonalities of our existence. The classical “us” and the space age “other” has been reborn.

Klingons, the next generation. © 1991 Paramount Pictures

What is so intriguing about these new Klingons is that they exhibit all the extremes of real-life exotic enemies from timeless representations going back to the ancient Greeks. They are portrayed as incomprehensible beasts to the federation: the Klingons participate in self-harm, believe in rebirth in flames, and have a physical appearance that has extended their exo-skeleton to make them look more like wild animals than anthropomorphic beings. They appear like beasts, as exotic as Durer’s famous drawing of a rhinoceros was to his 16th-century audience.

The new Klingon uniform was clearly inspired by ancient Egyptian breastplates, wired like ribs across their shoulders and upper chest. Even more Egyptianising is the death practice of the Klingons that sees the corpse being wrapped as a mummy, and placed in a beautifully decorated space sarcophagus. These sarcophagi are then stuck to the outside of their space ships. The way that the Klingon dead and their death cult travel together through space and time removes any previous common “humanity” that had existed in the other Star Trek series. The Klingons are now so far from the “us” who reside in the opposite ship as to be almost incomprehensible.

Albrecht Durer’s rhinoceros, 1515. Wikimedia

Ancient monsters
Though their appearance may be drawn from history, these new, hostile Klingons are base zealots and unrelentingly evil – with an obvious comparison to be made with Islamic State. They are simply our enemy: we possess no shared values, they lie in ambush and react with unremitting violence across the first episodes. The federation officers of the Discovery series are conflicted about reacting to the aggression – and as such are depicted at first as wishy-washy and weak. The ideals of the previous series, including the “prime directive” – that crews must not interfere with the development of civilisations – have disappeared and are replaced by sneering Klingons who seek martyrdom and mock the concept of “coming in peace”.

I wonder what Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry would have felt about this easy dismissal of the ideals of peaceful inter-species cooperation? In the new Star Trek, violence is the only means to counter violence. For the creators it makes it much easier to accept this by physically placing the Klingons further back in our human past. Their representation in costume like exotic, alien ancients, and practice of a cult of death, further distances them from our so-called “western” humanity. By physically animalising the Klingons this becomes an easy retreat to the mythical beasts of old. As the monstrous Gorgon sisters were to the ancient Greeks these Klingons are to the Federation.

This new form of Klingon enemy seems to be reflecting shifting attitudes towards peace and war in today’s world. More than anything this only serves to confirm how far our society has shifted away from hope and idealism for the future. It will be interesting to see how this new Klingon war is resolved in the next chapter of the first season, and whether hopeful aspiration will return or fear of the other is all we can aspire to.

About Today's Contributor:
Eve MacDonald, Lecturer in Ancient History, Cardiff University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

A Star Trek Actor's Tragic Death Sparks Legal Action

An Untimely Loss
The tragic death of actor Anton Yelchin recently has generated widespread publicity. The young star's loss focused extensive media attention on problems associated with electronic gear shift safety issues.

The acclaimed film star perished in an auto accident in his driveway on June 19th. This month, his parents, Victor and Irina Yelchin, filed a lawsuit against automaker Fiat Chrysler alleging that defects in the actor's Jeep Grand Cherokee precipitated their son's death.

Star Trek's Version Of Time Travel Is More Realistic Than Most Sci-Fi

© Paramount Pictures

By Lloyd Strickland, Manchester Metropolitan University

Star Trek Beyond may not have received a stellar critical response, but it can be said that it – and the franchise’s two previous films – handle the philosophy of time travel much better than many other works of science fiction.

The Glamour Of Holography On The Silver And Small Screens

As the editor of Holography News, it's always fascinating to see the latest trends in holography streets behind the fantastical science fiction world's vision of what the technology should achieve. The interesting thing is that holographic images in films have changed from simple visions in cinema's earlier days to being clones of humanity in more recent productions, while in real life the humble hologram is, for the moment, still used for security and authentication. Although the real life technology has made huge strides, the development it has seen in cinema and television has become a whole different world which now resembles holography in name alone. 

Here's an abridged history of the key film and television programs that have seen holography develop from a moving image, to developing independent thought and life… 

People With Photographic Memory

Individuals that possess eidetic memory, or photographic memory, are able to recall with precision a large amount of information, images or sounds. Whilst many have claimed to possess this ability, it is found in less than 5% of children, most of whom will begin to lose the ability as they mature or grow older. 

'15 Things You Didn't Know About Star Trek' + 'Star Trek Uniform Guide' [Infographics]

Today, (as you might have guessed from the title) we have a "two for the price of one" kind of post, with two Star Trek related infographics, for you guys...  

(Not a bad way to start the New Year, is it?)

 Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

Fictional Computers - Good Vs. Evil [Infographic]

There are so many cool supercomputers, whether in books or movies...

The Team at 'Glow New Media' decided that it would be interesting to take a look at the good and the bad and... made a brilliant infographic about it.

Which side would you bet on?

Enjoy!

Loup Dargent

WTF Moment: ‘Star Trek’ Actress "Lends" Her Gravitas To Film Promoting Idea That Sun Revolves Around Earth! [Now Updated!]

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Kate Mulgrew was misled! 

That's probably one of the few times in my blogging life that I am actually very happy to update/correct one of my main blog's posts. 

I've also slightly updated the title and, hopefully, it will convert the fact that Kate didn't knowingly lend her voice to the beliefs promoted in the documentary...

From what I've seen, the syndicated article from Raw Story has also been updated. Cool!

My sincere apologies to Kate Mulgrew for having temporarily doubted her! 

Live long and prosper!

Loup Dargent

PS: The "Triple FacePalm" pic is still relevant and solely directed at the people behind the so-called "documentary", so it stays!. ;-) 

‘Star Trek’ actress lends her gravitas to film promoting idea that sun revolves around Earth (via Raw Story )

A new documentary film, narrated by a former Star Trek actress, promotes the long-ago disproven idea that the sun revolves around the Earth. “Everything we think we know about our universe is wrong,” says actress Kate Mulgrew as she narrates the…

Star Trek's William Shatner blasts US tax video

Star Trek's Shatner blasts US tax video (via AFP)

Star Trek actor William Shatner has accused US tax authorities of wasting tens of thousands of dollars on a spoof video based on the cult television space show. Shatner -- who played the Starship Enterprise's commander Captain James T Kirk in the series -- took to Twitter to lambast the video, which…

The Most Awesome Science Fiction Machines

Science fiction plays on the gray area between scientific possibility and impossibility, often describing technologies and machines that could exist in the future, or that only slightly bend our current rules about what’s possible.  Science fiction authors have also been responsible for imagining some of the coolest gadgets, and these are just plain fun.

Here are some of the most iconic machines and devices to come out of science fiction.

Gay-bashers beware, George Takei will ‘f*ck your sh*t up’

Gay-bashers beware, George Takei will ‘f*ck your sh*t up’ (via Raw Story )

Conan on Tuesday night released a promotional video for Andy Richter’s latest business venture, in which the comedian offers to complete the difficult process of telling your family that you’re gay. “Coming out to your family during the holidays is never easy,” Ricther explains. “It can be…

Settling The Age Old Argument: Star Trek Vs. Star Wars [Infographic]

Science fiction fans seem to be divided as to which franchise has the superior technology: Star Wars or Star Trek. When comparing the two technologies, one must judge technology according to what overall purpose it serves. This can allow for easier side by side comparisons of technology from these two different universes.

The first category of technology one considers should be weaponry. In Star Wars, the Empire had access to the Death Star, which was capable of destroying an entire planet. Fearsome as it was, it was unique. On the other hand, in Star Trek, no such beam weapon has such awesome power. However, the mundane weaponry of spacecraft seem more or less equal among both universes.

The next category of technology should be the mind. In Star Trek, human mind has advanced little, but similar species have been encountered who display remarkable psychic abilities. In Star Wars, any human can master the Force, which provides them psychic and magical powers.

4 Most Famous Guns In Movie History

There are lots of movie fans who just love to root for the guns in a movie from western to science fiction or gangster flicks. Here in no particular order are four of the most famous guns in movie history:

The Science of Star Trek [Infographic]

Star Trek is famous for being written by technology geeks for technology geeks. Therefore it's no surprise that Star Trek has repeatedly predicted future scientific developments, applied existing science to its logical conclusion, and given the scientifically minded something to dream about and aspire to. Many scientists, thinkers and futurists have pointed to Star Trek as an inspiration (or at least aspiration) for their ideas and research, and the phrase "Like in Star Trek" is shorthand for any technology or idea which is as futuristic and cool as it is useful.

The chart below summarizes some of the key bits of science that Star Trek has used that are science fiction and lets you know what is science fact. While of course not everything on Star Trek is actually possible, a surprising amount is - from cell phones to androids and from laser weapons to antimatter. This chart even highlights some ways in which modern technology exceeds what there is in Star Trek!