The Science of James Bond: From Bullets to Bowler Hats to Boat Jumps, the Real Technology Behind 007's Fabulous Films

Science News,  Oct 14, 2006  

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THE SCIENCE OF JAMES BOND: From Bullets tO Bowler Hats to Boat Jumps, the Real Technology behind 007's Fabulous Films

LOIS H. GRESH AND ROBERT WEINBERG

The most famous fictional spy accomplished many seemingly impossible feats armed with a wide array of fantastic gadgets and weaponry. Authors Gresh and Weinberg comb the Bond films, pondering the scientific credibility of each death-defying leap, super equipped vehicle, and ingenious weapon. The authors provide a review of the physics that would apply to a flying car. They ponder the effects of a nuclear bomb such as the one devised by the villainous SPECTER organization. They review the plausibility of the various items devised by British intelligence's Q Division to keep Bond alive, including the jet pack that saw development by the U.S. Army in the 1960s, false fingerprints, and voice-altering technology that is today available in computer software. For true Bond lovers, appendixes detail, among other topics, the science of martinis and of Bond's cars. Wiley, 2006, 212 p., paperback, $14.95.

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