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The Science of Battlestar Galactica
The official guide to the science behind the Battlestar Galactica universe Battlestar Galactica ( BSG ) has been called the best show on television, and as real as science fiction gets. It has dealt with issues of religious freedom, patriotism, terrorism, genetic engineering, and the ultimate science fiction question: what does it mean to be human? While the re-imagined BSG may not be packed with cool techie tools (the bad guys don't even have laser guns for frak's sake!), this book shows that the science in the series has a lot to say about the use of science and technology in our lives today. What are the principles behind artificial gravity and sublight propulsion? Are Cylons men or machines? How are humanoid Cylons able to interface with computers? By tackling these and other intriguing questions, The Science of Battlestar Galactica takes us billions of miles away from Earth so that we can turn around and see ourselves from a different perspective.
- GenresScienceNonfictionSpace
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2010
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209 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 22, 2011
As "Science Of..." books go, this one was better than most. Given that entire books could be made out of each chapter and still not exhaust the topics, the authors did an admirable job of boiling down the concepts to their essence and giving some firm scientific backing and theoretical speculation on the science side of this particular science-fiction show.
BSG did a lot in the way of research in an attempt to make the science at least plausible, without making the story the slave to the science. As is mentioned several times, (Ron) Moore's Law made sure that the science never got in the way of telling a compelling story. And yet, for the majority of the show, the technology is a plausible extension of our current capabilities, which is very nice.
Fans of the show who also have an interest in astronomy or physics will really appreciate this book.
BSG did a lot in the way of research in an attempt to make the science at least plausible, without making the story the slave to the science. As is mentioned several times, (Ron) Moore's Law made sure that the science never got in the way of telling a compelling story. And yet, for the majority of the show, the technology is a plausible extension of our current capabilities, which is very nice.
Fans of the show who also have an interest in astronomy or physics will really appreciate this book.
April 6, 2012
It feels really strange to be giving this book 5 stars. After all, tie-in products usually come across as "shovelware" - a product with the logo just meant to separate the fan from his money.
That's exactly what I was expecting when I opened up the pages of this one.
What I got instead is Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything with Battlestar references. The authors explore anthropology, chemistry, medicine, physics, astronomy, military theory first, and tie it into Battlestar second. It is quite refreshing.
This is a good, quick read for science and Battlestar fans, and I'd recommend it for pretty much anyone.
That's exactly what I was expecting when I opened up the pages of this one.
What I got instead is Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything with Battlestar references. The authors explore anthropology, chemistry, medicine, physics, astronomy, military theory first, and tie it into Battlestar second. It is quite refreshing.
This is a good, quick read for science and Battlestar fans, and I'd recommend it for pretty much anyone.
February 5, 2011
I'm marking this book as "read" even though I haven't finished it, because it's more of a reference book than a book that you read straight through. For my "official" review of it, check out the write-up I did over at Tor.com:
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/01/revi...
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/01/revi...
January 31, 2011
Ever wondered how things work in the BSG universe? Well this book has all the answers from the official science adviser for the show. Every fan should pick this up and delve down deeper into the inner workings.
Do not read this if you have not watched all of the show, as nearly every spoiler is covered.
Do not read this if you have not watched all of the show, as nearly every spoiler is covered.
May 8, 2012
Way more interesting than I expected- legit science in here, not just nerdy TV techno-babble
January 21, 2012
Excellent read. There is Hard science on every page. It makes Space travel feasible and credible.
November 28, 2017
A highly educational book, peppered with pictures of the cast of BSG. A lot of TIL moments, in fields from astronomy to physics to genetics to computing.
___
Like all good science fiction, Battlestar Galactica takes us millions of miles away from Earth for the sole purpose of letting us turn around to see ourselves from a different perspective.
Chimpanzees, and all the great apes, are almost certainly sentient. They will realise that the ape in the mirror is actually itself, unlike dogs and cats.
Morphine is extra dangerous because it fits the brain's receptors especially well; not only does it make you feel good, it knocks away your natural endorphins so that after a short period of use, you can't feel good without morphine.
LSD was the CIA's truth drug of choice for a while, but hallucinogenics might indeed make a person talk, but the results are too unpredictable, and sometimes the drug makes a person feel invincible. Especially when used on brilliant sociopaths.
General Douhet's perfect device for aerial bombardment of cities would consist of a mixture of high explosives to destroy buildings and create kindling; incendiary bombs to ignite that kindling and create a conflagration that would sweep across the area, and some form of poison gas to prevent firefighting, rescue and cleanup forces from moving into the area. Nuclear devices are essentially Douhet's perfect bomb. A typical nuclear weapon releases 50% of its energy as blast, 35% as heat or thermal radiation, and 15% of the energy is ionising radiation.
Rotation to create artificial gravity is limited because people get sick. If a ship rotates too slowly, a large portion of the crew is vomiting from space sickness. If the ship rotates too rapidly, a large fraction of the crew is vomiting from motion sickness. When humans take to the stars, it's time to invest in a puke bag company.
Stealth aircraft like the F-117 Nighthawk have very angular surfaces whose shapes efficiently reflect incoming radar energy, but simply not in the direction back to the source.
If the surface of a CPU chip can be observed, it is possible to glean information about the operations being executed on that CPU from the variations in the infrared radiation being emitted by it (thermal imaging attack)
___
Like all good science fiction, Battlestar Galactica takes us millions of miles away from Earth for the sole purpose of letting us turn around to see ourselves from a different perspective.
Chimpanzees, and all the great apes, are almost certainly sentient. They will realise that the ape in the mirror is actually itself, unlike dogs and cats.
Morphine is extra dangerous because it fits the brain's receptors especially well; not only does it make you feel good, it knocks away your natural endorphins so that after a short period of use, you can't feel good without morphine.
LSD was the CIA's truth drug of choice for a while, but hallucinogenics might indeed make a person talk, but the results are too unpredictable, and sometimes the drug makes a person feel invincible. Especially when used on brilliant sociopaths.
General Douhet's perfect device for aerial bombardment of cities would consist of a mixture of high explosives to destroy buildings and create kindling; incendiary bombs to ignite that kindling and create a conflagration that would sweep across the area, and some form of poison gas to prevent firefighting, rescue and cleanup forces from moving into the area. Nuclear devices are essentially Douhet's perfect bomb. A typical nuclear weapon releases 50% of its energy as blast, 35% as heat or thermal radiation, and 15% of the energy is ionising radiation.
Rotation to create artificial gravity is limited because people get sick. If a ship rotates too slowly, a large portion of the crew is vomiting from space sickness. If the ship rotates too rapidly, a large fraction of the crew is vomiting from motion sickness. When humans take to the stars, it's time to invest in a puke bag company.
Stealth aircraft like the F-117 Nighthawk have very angular surfaces whose shapes efficiently reflect incoming radar energy, but simply not in the direction back to the source.
If the surface of a CPU chip can be observed, it is possible to glean information about the operations being executed on that CPU from the variations in the infrared radiation being emitted by it (thermal imaging attack)
March 24, 2023
I'm usually a sucker for these "Science of X" books; this is the first time I've been disappointed. This one strikes me as unclear on who it's meant to be for. Is the sort of person who watches Battlestar Galactica and reads this book someone who needs an explanation of basic sci-fi concepts like relativistic speeds? The show itself assumes it can drop the phrase with no explanation. Some remedial background is fine, but in this book there's frequently nothing after that.
The pictures are another strange aspect. There are very few diagrams throughout the book, and almost none of them are Galactica-specific. Instead there are full page cast pictures, demonstrating nothing whatsoever, just scattered around.
That said, part four (Tech) included some interesting segments, and it did manage to get to the sort of analysis that I wanted sometimes.
The pictures are another strange aspect. There are very few diagrams throughout the book, and almost none of them are Galactica-specific. Instead there are full page cast pictures, demonstrating nothing whatsoever, just scattered around.
That said, part four (Tech) included some interesting segments, and it did manage to get to the sort of analysis that I wanted sometimes.
July 11, 2017
Really enjoyable book for BSG fans with a scientific mind.
September 1, 2017
Loved it! My favorite sci-fi show of all time.
September 15, 2023
I quite liked this, certainly more than I was expecting to. The authors are quite skilled at giving a brief overview of the science relating to this or that aspect of the show, which is helpful for those of us long out of school and not working in the relevant fields. I was impressed at the extent to which the writers of the show were encouraged/inspired to make deep dives into the known science and to incorporate it into stories, so that to a large degree the technology makes sense, and, in fact, the theoretical constraints on the technology often drive the tension of the stories.
January 21, 2023
I think 2.5 stars would be a better rating. It's slightly geared more towards a science "newb," but still offered new information. It's written in a glib style that mostly flows well, but it's two main problems are as follows:
1) "Moore's Law/The Laws of BSG" : The book helpfully points out that Ron Moore made a conscious choice *not* to explain how things worked in the BSG universe as he didn't want the techno babble to impinge on the drama. I'm dumb enough not to have picked up on this having watched all the show, but it obviously worked to dramatic effect as intended. Having said that, I picked this book to get explanations/theories *on how it worked*. So when the authors trot out 'The 1st Law of BSG' and say "If you're wondering how they eat and breathe, and other science facts, just repeat to yourself, 'It's just a show, I should really relax.'," I can feel a major copout coming on. Sure enough, when the going gets tough in some sections of the book, they have the stones to literally write "it's just a show, I should really relax." Several times. Way to flush the whole purpose of the book down the toilet right in the introduction!
2) Related to above, they studiously avoid answering some questions entirely (e.g., anything related to the logistics of tens of thousands of people living in space). Similarly, they go into great detail about something that's really enlightening (like Cylon neural pathways and how a cylon might easily pass for human), then completely gloss over other aspects like "How are humanoid cylons able to be so very strong? Survive radiation and other harsh environments, etc?"
The "answer this and gloss over that" tactic unfortunately makes the book uneven. I've sounded pretty harsh to this point - but I will say the parts that are insightful and informative are good. I consider myself fairly up on science and I still found many new things here. The book also talks about a few neglected topics (e.g., computers and electronic warfare) that I wouldn't have necessarily thought to include that really flesh out your understanding/perception of the series. It's just that it also includes some sections (e.g., "the colonial pharmacopia") that feel like filler material since they don't care to, say, flesh out more how the planets/systems of the 12 Colonies might or might not have possibly fit together.
If you are a fan, you'll probably find something in the book to enhance your enjoyment of the series and it might be worth a read. If you are a casual fan, you can peruse the MANY photos of the cast they used to pad the pages. But if you are a science nerd or newbie to BSG, you probably shouldn't bother.
1) "Moore's Law/The Laws of BSG" : The book helpfully points out that Ron Moore made a conscious choice *not* to explain how things worked in the BSG universe as he didn't want the techno babble to impinge on the drama. I'm dumb enough not to have picked up on this having watched all the show, but it obviously worked to dramatic effect as intended. Having said that, I picked this book to get explanations/theories *on how it worked*. So when the authors trot out 'The 1st Law of BSG' and say "If you're wondering how they eat and breathe, and other science facts, just repeat to yourself, 'It's just a show, I should really relax.'," I can feel a major copout coming on. Sure enough, when the going gets tough in some sections of the book, they have the stones to literally write "it's just a show, I should really relax." Several times. Way to flush the whole purpose of the book down the toilet right in the introduction!
2) Related to above, they studiously avoid answering some questions entirely (e.g., anything related to the logistics of tens of thousands of people living in space). Similarly, they go into great detail about something that's really enlightening (like Cylon neural pathways and how a cylon might easily pass for human), then completely gloss over other aspects like "How are humanoid cylons able to be so very strong? Survive radiation and other harsh environments, etc?"
The "answer this and gloss over that" tactic unfortunately makes the book uneven. I've sounded pretty harsh to this point - but I will say the parts that are insightful and informative are good. I consider myself fairly up on science and I still found many new things here. The book also talks about a few neglected topics (e.g., computers and electronic warfare) that I wouldn't have necessarily thought to include that really flesh out your understanding/perception of the series. It's just that it also includes some sections (e.g., "the colonial pharmacopia") that feel like filler material since they don't care to, say, flesh out more how the planets/systems of the 12 Colonies might or might not have possibly fit together.
If you are a fan, you'll probably find something in the book to enhance your enjoyment of the series and it might be worth a read. If you are a casual fan, you can peruse the MANY photos of the cast they used to pad the pages. But if you are a science nerd or newbie to BSG, you probably shouldn't bother.
January 7, 2012
I normally don't venture into nonfiction that's not related to my area of study, but I figured, it's BSG, so why not. Overall, I enjoyed the book and found the author's sense of humor and dry wit a welcome addition to potentially boring subject matter. I found that I learned a lot about astronomy and many other scientific topics that I would never read about in any other circumstance, but the explanations, equations, and terminology still fell considerably beyond my knowledge and interest. Parts of the book I just had to skim through because there were too many complicated equations. Most importantly, the book gave me an appreciation for the science that went into the show and how much the producers tried to make their world realistic.
July 4, 2014
"Excellent Physics Lesson 4.0 Based on BSG!"
What made listening to The Science of Battlestar Galactica the most enjoyable for me was the comparison of BSG to actual human life. ARE we creating our own Cylons like Frankenstein? Sentient is another word for consciousness or the ability to be aware of oneself. This audiobook was full of greatness! My favorite characters are the ones who created the Cylons. What I like about Tom Dheere’s performance is that he keeps a steady pace while speaking that I can keep up with. He has great flow. I didn't have an extreme reaction to this book however I did really enjoy all the BSG information.
"It's just a show I should really just relax." I really enjoyed this book.
What made listening to The Science of Battlestar Galactica the most enjoyable for me was the comparison of BSG to actual human life. ARE we creating our own Cylons like Frankenstein? Sentient is another word for consciousness or the ability to be aware of oneself. This audiobook was full of greatness! My favorite characters are the ones who created the Cylons. What I like about Tom Dheere’s performance is that he keeps a steady pace while speaking that I can keep up with. He has great flow. I didn't have an extreme reaction to this book however I did really enjoy all the BSG information.
"It's just a show I should really just relax." I really enjoyed this book.
August 9, 2025
The Science of Battlestar Galactica is a must-read for anyone who loves the series and wants to go deeper into the complexities of space travel from a scientific perspective. I believe one of the great purposes of science fiction is to imagine placing science in speculative situations so we can explore the benefits and pitfalls of implementing such advancements. Battlestar Galactica does this exceptionally well, and thinking about the science behind its innovations adds another layer to the experience.
This book does a great job using images and clear explanations to guide readers through the show’s concepts from a scientific angle. It’s an engaging companion that enriches both the science fiction and the science itself.
This book does a great job using images and clear explanations to guide readers through the show’s concepts from a scientific angle. It’s an engaging companion that enriches both the science fiction and the science itself.
April 12, 2011
The Science of Battlestar Galactica offers clear explanation and discussion of some of the technology and scientific concepts from the show - everything from starship propulsion and navigation to Cylon physiology. The book includes many photos, both publicity shots of the cast and stills from the show but in most cases these are only peripherally related, if at all, to the topic being discussed making the book feel 'padded' at times.
August 12, 2016
You must like science but you'll still enjoy this book even if you don't like Battlestar Galactica. The science behind the sci-fi in this book is really dense, I loved it. I also like Battlestar, but found really cool insights into all the sci-fi I love on TV and movies.
My only disappointment is the scientific inaccuracies revealed from Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall. It's like finding out about Santa all over again.
My only disappointment is the scientific inaccuracies revealed from Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall. It's like finding out about Santa all over again.
February 3, 2017
Did you know that Chaucer was reputedly the first author to include the words "Milky Way" in literature? And that the 12 Colonies invented a line of antibiotics based of mucus? You'll learn all these in- and out-of-universe facts in this super fun, super informative book that takes a look at all aspects of the science of the show Battlestar Galactica. The series will always have a special place in my heart, and this book brought back a lost of the memories.
November 1, 2011
I'd probably have given it another star if I didn't already know most of the science in the book.
December 20, 2011
Faszinierend, wieviel Gedanken sich die Autoren von BSG gemacht haben. Auch wenn es weitgehened nach Moore’s Law (It’s only a show. Enjoy it) ging, stand vieles auf soliden wissenschaftlichen Füßen.
March 20, 2014
Every bsg fan should read this. Seriously!
January 9, 2014
Science! Fiction! A fun little read.
August 31, 2014
An excellent, clever, and informative supplement to what is, in my opinion, the greatest show on television.
November 25, 2013
Science is a kind of religion, science is also funny.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews