Star Trek & Space Exploration: Background information when reading Alien Earths

From the 17th century on, Johannes Kepler, Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne, HG Wells, and Edgar Rice Burroughs were just a few artists who contributed to a burgeoning awakening of the collective imagination, melding scientific and cosmic theories with myth and character, shaping something entirely new — science fiction.

How science fiction evolved from simple stories into a huge pop culture phenomenon could be an article unto itself. But it's worth noting that in 1966, science fiction was transformed forever when Star Trek premiered on NBC. In the show, the Starfleet organization was conceived with the goal of exploring and learning from our neighboring galaxies in the universe. Sound familiar? As it turns out, NASA was heavily inspired by Gene Roddenberry's groundbreaking series, and this influence ripples through the past and present like the ridges on a Klingon's forehead.

So why do real-life scientists love Star Trek so much? The show was launched at a time ...