Star Trek actor praises St Andrews scientists

Published on 09/02/2013 00:39

THE actor who made Star Trek’s Captain James T Kirk famous has praised scientists at a Scottish university for proving one of the cult show’s most famous gadgets works.

St Andrews University recently invented a tractor beam, as featured in the American science fiction television series.

The discovery prompted actor William Shatner into making a jibe about the rivalry between Star Trek and Star Wars. He said: “Difference between sci-fi and sci-fantasy: Star Trek tractor beam: reality, Star Wars Death Star: not ;).”

However, although the breakthrough by academics at St Andrews and the Institute of Scientific Instruments (ISI) in the Czech Republic will not be used to snare spaceships, it could lead to more efficient methods of medical testing, such as the examination of blood samples.