# "Star Trek IV" nitpick: Why did they need transparent aluminum? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 4, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933 "2010-06-04T15:02:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/61 "2010-06-05T01:32:38Z")
Admiral! There be WHALES here! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/62 "2010-06-05T01:33:41Z")
Humpbacked? People? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/63 "2010-06-05T07:18:01Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > That is my thought, just as ships have water tight compartments. > > What is the calculation for water pressure, rho_G_h? I’m impressed that you speak Klingon, but that’s not a polite thing to call someone when you ask a question. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/64 "2010-06-05T07:53:42Z")
That was awesome, **Malacandra** ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/65 "2010-06-05T15:25:48Z")
You see, when I first watched it, I thought there was some line after Scotty gave him the formula, saying that the concept of transparent aluminum was made up. When does he say he need transparent aluminum? If it’s near that scene, I probably thought it was part of the ruse. I’ve since watched it and realized my interpretation was wrong, but it was a nice one. I do have one fanwank on why the Timecops (or whatever they’re called) didn’t try to stop them: without the trip, Earth would have been gone, and that would have messed up their future. How else can Bones get away curing a patient just for the heck of it? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/66 "2010-06-05T16:03:12Z")
Anyone else bothered by the idea that only Kirk and Spock were smart enough to modify the alien transmissions to sound like they would below water? I mean, surely someone back at Starfleet Headquarters or elsewhere on Earth would have figured out the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/67 "2010-06-05T17:03:10Z")
Starfleet isn’t used to having to figure out how to understand other people since all aliens speak English and all broadcasts are encoded such that they are immediately decipherable. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/68 "2010-06-05T17:13:56Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Anyone else bothered by the idea that only Kirk and Spock were smart enough to modify the alien transmissions to sound like they would below water? I mean, surely someone back at Starfleet Headquarters or elsewhere on Earth would have figured out the same thing? Someone very well might have, but what could they have done about it with the Probe’s energy dampening field shutting down their systems? Kirk and crew weren’t affected by it and had experience with time travel, which is why they were able to do something about it. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/69 "2010-06-05T17:19:11Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Anyone else bothered by the idea that only Kirk and Spock were smart enough to modify the alien transmissions to sound like they would below water? I mean, surely someone back at Starfleet Headquarters or elsewhere on Earth would have figured out the same thing? The thing that I always notice is the exchange where Kirk tells Uhura to modify the sound accounting for “density, temperature … and salinity factors.” She jumps through all kinds of audio-filter hoops to get the sound the way he wants it, and then he asks: “Then, this is what it would sound like _underwater_?” Her reply (“Yes, sir.”) is delivered in a way that makes me think she’s thinking to herself, _“If that’s all you wanted, you could have just said, ‘What would this sound like underwater?’ jackass. Salinity factors. Puh-lease.”_ ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/70 "2010-06-05T21:01:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > How else can Bones get away curing a patient just for the heck of it? She was a Time Cop’s Nth power Grandmother. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/71 "2010-06-05T22:18:13Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Anyone else bothered by the idea that only Kirk and Spock were smart enough to modify the alien transmissions to sound like they would below water? I mean, surely someone back at Starfleet Headquarters or elsewhere on Earth would have figured out the same thing? I was under the impression that pretty much everyone else who had access to the signal had lost power to any of their computers. Or at least lost the ability to communicate what they’d discovered. Kirk and co. were the only ones who could actually do something about the problem, so they’re the only people we see figure it out. And, yes they were in the right place at the right time. Close enough to get the signal first (or at least before anyone else could contact them), but far enough away to not get their stuff shut down. Plus, they already performed the slingshot technique before. If you want to get upset, it would be about how only the Enterprise crew seem to know how to perform that maneuver, as every other time it would seem like a good idea, it’s never even been mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/72 "2010-06-05T22:29:33Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I was under the impression that pretty much everyone else who had access to the signal had lost power to any of their computers. Or at least lost the ability to communicate what they’d discovered. Kirk and co. were the only ones who could actually do something about the problem, so they’re the only people we see figure it out. > > And, yes they were in the right place at the right time. Close enough to get the signal first (or at least before anyone else could contact them), but far enough away to not get their stuff shut down. Plus, they already performed the slingshot technique before. > > If you want to get upset, it would be about how only the Enterprise crew seem to know how to perform that maneuver, as every other time it would seem like a good idea, it’s never even been mentioned. Fanwanking again: the Enterprise’s logs of the first time travel incident were immediately classified; the information was not generally disseminated, and Kirk and his officers were forbidden to discuss it with it any ship’s company. Had Starfleet been more ruthless they’d have immediately offed Kirk, his entire bridge staff, and Scott as well. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/73 "2010-06-05T23:04:10Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Anyone else bothered by the idea that only Kirk and Spock were smart enough to modify the alien transmissions to sound like they would below water? I mean, surely someone back at Starfleet Headquarters or elsewhere on Earth would have figured out the same thing? Starfleet HQ, deep in the Federation would no doubt be used to the usual, known in advance visitors for whom translators were available. Kirk and co. out on their five year mission to the back end of beyond, might be expected to be a bit more on the ball. That and the maelstrom on Earth creating a little static on the airwaves I guess 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/74 "2010-06-05T23:06:43Z")
> [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](#): > > Why bring up transparent aluminum? Why, that’s simple. > > To give me something to say every time I encounter an epic technology fail: > > (picture me trying to push the nonexistent start button in my wife’s minivan, because I’m used to my Nissan’s keyless start): “Computer. . . computer. . . oh, a keyboard. How quaint.” That scene does bring up a question. If keyboards are so quaint and presumably rare, how was Scotty such a fast typist? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/75 "2010-06-05T23:10:10Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > That scene does bring up a question. If keyboards are so quaint and presumably rare, how was Scotty such a fast typist? It was’t that keyboards were rare; it was that a computer without any voice interface at all was rare. I can imagine plenty of times in which a person might go back and forth. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/76 "2010-06-05T23:27:22Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > It was’t that keyboards were rare; it was that a computer without any voice interface at all was rare. I can imagine plenty of times in which a person might go back and forth. Current-day example: a programmer can use a mouse for general GUI applications, but when it’s time to be productive they (usually) prefer working through text on the command line. It’s possible to type out instructions a good deal faster than it is to perform them via mouse or voice. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/77 "2010-06-06T00:00:46Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Had Starfleet been more ruthless they’d have immediately offed Kirk, his entire bridge staff, and Scott as well. Yeah, right, like Commissioner Gordon could “off” the Dark Knight. :rolleyes: So, when did the Enterprise do this slingshot maneuver before? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/78 "2010-06-06T00:07:42Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Yeah, right, like Commissioner Gordon could “off” the Dark Knight. :rolleyes: 😕 > [@](#): > > So, when did the Enterprise do this slingshot maneuver before? Spock (or Scott) invented it in “The Naked Time,” I think, though it was an accident. They used it on purpose in the episode with Teri Garr. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/79 "2010-06-06T00:12:55Z")
Ah, that’s how they get back. > [@](#): > > “Captain’s Log, Stardate 3113.2, subjective time: We were en route to Starbase 9 for resupply when a black star of high gravitational attraction began to drag us toward it. It required all warp power in reverse to pull us away from the star but like snapping a rubber band, the breakaway sent us plunging through space, out of control to stop here, wherever we are.” [Tomorrow is Yesterday.](http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/Tomorrow_is_Yesterday_%28episode%29) [The Naked Time?](http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/The_Naked_Time_%28episode%29) ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933/80 "2010-06-06T23:08:10Z")
Something that always bothered me - isn’t 60’ by 10’ a little _small_ to hold two adult humpback whales? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-iv-nitpick-why-did-they-need-transparent-aluminum/541933.md?page=3)