Were these Star Trek terms taken from science or made up for the show?

Are they science fiction or science fact?

Star Trek has had a profound affect not just on science fiction but on real science as well. The original series inspired a generation of people to become scientists and inventors. Even certain elements of the series have now become reality.

Part of Gene Roddenberry’s genius was weaving real scientific theories and terms with fictional technologies. This combination makes the world of the show feel real but also fun and interesting.

Can you guess which of the following terms are taken from science and which were completely made up just for the show?

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  1. Event horizon
  2. Stardate
  3. Antimatter
  4. Holodeck
  5. Pon farr
  6. Iridium
  7. Dilithium
  8. Ion propulsion
  9. Delta rays
  10. Xenopolycythemia
  11. Baryon
  12. Scalosian water
  13. Protoplasm
  14. Tetralubisol
  15. Gravimetric
  16. Tachyon
  17. Quadrotriticale

Were these Star Trek terms taken from science or made up for the show?

Your Result...

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88 Comments

STTOS 24 months ago
You got 14 out of 17 - Great job! Gosh darn it, I missed some on the Periodic Elements!!
Filmnoirfan 27 months ago
17/17 - have to admit I am no expert on "Star Trek" and haven't taken a science class in 40 years, so not really sure how that perfect score happened. Logic dictates that it should never have occurred
EllisClevenger 43 months ago
You got 15 out of 17
Great job!
Missed #5 and #16.
I claim 16 out of 17.
If I write of something that never occurred, it's called fiction.
This ". . .a hypothetical particle that can travel faster than light. The term is used by scientists but no such particle is known to actually exist." qualifies as fiction.
djw1120 EllisClevenger 27 months ago
Now let's talk about "splitting hairs".
Is that real or fictional?
Can you split a hair or not?
JDnHuntsvilleAL 43 months ago
Let ME ask y'all one. Is this a real term or something I'm making up?

IRIDIUM FLARE.
Threnody JDnHuntsvilleAL 42 months ago
It's real. I got lucky enough to see one of the few last ones last summer. The others I tried to see were obscured by clouds but I was fortunate that day. I wish they were still a regular part of the sky viewing experience - they were cool. I thought so, anyway.
Did you see some?
CaptainDunsel 45 months ago
The bartender says, "Get out of here! We don't serve your kind."
Two tachyons walk into a bar.
wanderer2575 45 months ago
If Star Trek: Voyager taught us anything, it's that you can solve any problem by sending a tachyon beam through the main deflector dish.
TexasGreek wanderer2575 45 months ago
LOL! Now that's funny!
Filmnoirfan wanderer2575 27 months ago
Agreed - I wrote my thesis about it in college
Neodana 45 months ago
17/17 used to be able to recite verbatim every TOS episode
batman 45 months ago
Favorite show like growing up with friends
EmBee 45 months ago
If it's hypothetical and not known to actually exist...doesn't that make it fictional?
JDnHuntsvilleAL EmBee 43 months ago
It's real because it is a term actually used in the scientific community.
So, using your logic, "The Wizard of Oz", "Clockwork Orange", "The Incredibles", "Babe", and Charlotte's Web" are all real. Even "Star Trek".
You cannot have it, both ways. No matter who is using what.
pjones4023 EmBee 42 months ago
It's real in the same sense as Dark Matter and Dark Energy.
Pacificsun 46 months ago
17. There was a "Making of The Trouble with Tribbles" episode book including David Gerrold, the writer. I thought triticale was a real grain. Of course they added Quadro.

2. How can stardate not be a real word.
CarolKelley Pacificsun 44 months ago
Triticale is a wheat/rye hybrid developed in Scotland and Germany in the 19th century. Spock does make a reference to it being developed in 20th century Canada and the University of Manitoba did had a breeding program for triticale beginning in 1953.
sandman 46 months ago
13/17. My wife “Klingon Head” 14/17
Mavywavy 46 months ago
15/17 and I’ve never watched one episode.
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