Tonight, I accidentally stumbled upon a show on The History Channel entitled “How William Shatner Changed the World”. As a Star Trek fan (but not a full-fledged Trekkie), my interest was immediately grabbed. Based on his book “I’m Working on That”, Shatner hosts and narrates a show that postulates how Star Trek has influenced the technological society that we live in today.
In one comical moment, Shatner describes how the show’s creators developed their vision for the future: they made it up! Insights into the show also revealed that the infamous transporters were developed because the shuttle craft weren’t ready in the first few episodes. And tricorders were actually recycled salt shakers!
Besides these bits of trivia, the show emphasized that the vision of Star Trek invigorated the technological age that we live in, complete with personal computers, cell phones and non-invasive medical techniques. This show immediately reminded me how imagination can directly lead to innovation, and how we as educators can inspire our students to bridge this gap.
Catch the show again on The History Channel:
- Thursday, March 16 at 8 PM Eastern/7 PM Central
- Saturday, March 18 at 6 PM Eastern/7 PM Central
- Here is the website for the show: http://www.historychannel.com/space/
Shatner Internet Fun:
- Check out Shatner’s website at www.williamshatner.com
- I might add that I have already purchased Shatner’s recent music album (produced by Ben Fold’s Five) called “Has Been”. Check it out at http://www.shatnerhasbeen.com/.
- You can also send a unique Shatner e-card at http://www.shatnerhasbeen.com/ecard/index.php.