The book “Faire des sciences avec Star Wars“ (“Doing Science with Star Wars”) by Roland Lehoucq, starts with this question: “Is there anyone who has not seen (and re-seen!) the episodes of Star Wars, the most celebrated science fiction saga of the cinema?” I reply without shame or pride, “Yes, ME!” I have been lucky enough to live a happy life without the pleasures of the cinema, or science fiction.

Science and reading satisfy me entirely. This is why I am drawing your attention to the new edition of this work from 2005, reviewed and appended for “The Force Awakens”.

R. Lehoucq is a specialist of bullshit in SF films, on the side he is also an astrophysicist at the Atomic Energy Commission in Saclay, and president of “Utopiales” the international science fiction festival at Nantes. He unravels the latest Hollywood films to separate fact from fiction, the believable from the unbelievable, science from pseudo science. For “Star Wars” there was enough material for a whole book, now available in a free digital edition (though note this is only available in French).

A fascinating read, where Luke, Jar Jar Binks and Jango Fett cross swords with the Casimir physicists, Hubble and Einstein… and even good old Professor Lidenbrock, which teaches us to ask ourselves questions – lots of questions – and not to be satisfied with evasive responses.