Michio Kaku: Science fiction breaks free from fantasy

[Shirleypal]

Renowned physicist Dr Michio Kaku says that the world of science fiction may be closer to reality than fantasy.

So if you thought that invisibility cloaks, time travel and teleportation were for the silver screen only, think again.

Dr Kaku is a theoretical physicist and the co-founder of string field theory, a branch of string theory, often referred to as "the theory of everything".

In his recent published book, Physics of the Impossible, he considers the phenomena of science fiction, including time travel and invisibility.

August 26, 2009
He was shocked to find that almost all of them were consistent with the known laws of physics.

According to Dr Kaku, most of what we see on the silver screen is possible - it is just a question of time.

"A lot of the predictions made by science fiction writers have been replaced by the march of science," he told BBC World Service.

Invisibility has long been a hallmark of science fiction or fantasy.

Star Trek spacecraft use invisibility shields, and Harry Potter would have struggled in his battle against Lord Voldemort without his invisibility cloak.

But could invisibility really be future science fact rather than science fiction?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8221009.stm

"A lot of the predictions made by Science Fiction writers have been replaced by march of science."