The Science of the X-Files

With the help of noted scientists and biologists, the author examines the scientific theories and plausibility of the most bizarre and compelling episodes of the science fiction TV series, "The X-Files"

A crisp, conversational style, an easy familiarity with numerous X-Files episodes and a background as an astrophysicist, NASA employee and science fiction writer make Cavelos's intelligent if somewhat scattershot survey one of the more valuable spin-offs of the popular TV series. Though billed as "the book that Scully herself might have written," this volume is both more objective and more genial than that, taking seriously?but also having fun with?the show's steady diet of throat-piercing fungi, implanted microchips, black oil organisms, toads from the sky, bizarre mutations and purported alien machinations. Each of the seven chapters begins with a gripping, middle-of-the-action scene from an X-Files episode, then steps back to ask: How real is this? In the cases presented here, it's at least real enough to prompt brisk and engaging reports on recent research and developments in a wide variety of fields, occasionally buttressed by comments from working doctors, scientists and engineers. Genetic and evolutionary oddities, unusual powers, unknown species, the ramifications of various alien scenarios and the limits of advanced technology are all given levelheaded coverage. "What science?" was the incredulous comment of the friend who introduced Cavelos to the show, upon hearing the proposed title of her book. The book's convincing answer: more than those who share Scully's skepticism might think.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.