You know how some days a question gets stuck in your mind? For me today, it’s the question of where the energy comes from for Star Trek’s matter replicators. (Reminder: I came to Star Trek much later than Star Wars, and I’m ok with that.) Does everything in the ST universe run on dilithium?
Sure, I could look it up, but instead I’m going to use the distraction to keep the part of my mind that focuses on the future happily entertained, instead of stressfully worried. Because that leaves me with more positive energy for action.
Nichelle Nichols, Lt. Uhura on ‘Star Trek,’ dead at 89 Nichols was one of the first Black women featured in a major television series, and her role as Lt. Nyota Uhura on the original TV series was groundbreaking: an African American woman whose name came from Uhuru, the Swahili word for “freedom.”
“For the first time, we are being seen the world over as we should be seen.”
Nichelle Nichols showed us all that the future belonged to more than just white men, and then she helped NASA build that future.
“After Apollo 11, Nichelle made it her mission to inspire women and people of color to join this agency, change the face of STEM and explore the cosmos. Nichelle’s mission is NASA’s mission. Today, as we work to send the first woman and first person of color to the Moon under Artemis, NASA is guided by the legacy of Nichelle Nichols.”
She did. We did. And humanity is so much better for it.
“If you can see it, you can be it,” the saying goes. Nichelle Nichols gave millions of people the opportunity to see themselves on the frontiers of science and exploration, boldly expanding human understanding.
She inspired so many of us to reach for the stars. What a legacy.
William Shatner, the 90-year-old perhaps best known for playing Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek, flew 100km up into space in a Blue Origin rocket today. He and the other crew members returned safely to Earth ten minutes later.
In completely unrelated news, all those planning to zap Jeff Bezos with a phaser are asked to please stand down.
It’s September 8th, and the 55th anniversary of the first airing of Star Trek: The Original Series. Now, I was always a Star Wars fan first and foremost* but Mr Man persuaded me to revisit and reassess, and I’m glad he did. The more geeky space fun, the better, as far as I’m concerned.
Want to know more, or commune with fellow Trekkies basking in the glory that is the Trekiverse? Click through for links to the annual Star Trek Day celebration:
* The show had ended by the time I was ready for such things, and without a television even reruns were off the table. Hard to obsess over a series that you can’t watch!
So somehow I missed First Contact Day. You know, the day Vulcans pass by Earth just as Dr. Zefram Cochrane makes the first human warp flight in the Phoenix.
As recorded in the historical document Star Trek: First Contact.
Right. Anyway, I missed it. The good news is that the real thing won’t take place until 2063. We still have time for benevolent alien species,* a future of livable space ships, the Federation, currency-free economy, and peace on Earth.
In a few short hours my weekend will start and I’ll be off to bask in the glories of my fellow geeks. Just skimming the headlines, tonight it’s Billy Dee Williams and LeVar Burton, tomorrow it’s Jewel Staite and Summer Glau, then Sunday it’s Wil Wheaton and Captain Tight Pants Himself, Nathan Fillion🙂 And more, so much more, plus a posse of costumed people sure to bring cheer to even the rainiest of days.
Does it get any better than this? Nay, I think not.
.JPG)
J.R. Johnson 
You must be logged in to post a comment.