Neil deGrasse Tyson Thinks Star Trek Is Better Than Star Wars For A Key Reason

Neil deGrasse Tyson is one of the world's most well-known astrophysicists, taking inspiration from the likes of Carl Sagan in his capacity as a public communicator about science. In this role, he's shared his opinions on "Star Wars" and "Star Trek," expressing a preference for the latter. The issue arose on Tyson's series "Star Talk" in 2015, when he answered a fan's question of which franchise he preferred. Without hesitation, he explained that "Star Trek" was significantly better than "Star Wars."

Primarily, he believes that "Star Wars" is what he calls "fake-fake," while "Star Trek" is "fake-real." Tyson explained that the USS Enterprise's staff is composed of real scientists and engineers, all working to make the ship function. "Star Wars," on the other hand, relies on entirely made-up jargon that doesn't have a basis in science. Like so many fans before him, Tyson compared "Star Trek's" USS Enterprise to the Millennium Falcon, and he drew the line at scientific accuracy.

Moreover, Tyson praised the Enterprise as being the first ship in science fiction designed for exploration, as it wasn't meant solely to take people from one place to another, and instead went where no one had gone before. The Millennium Falcon, on the other hand, is a more typical fictitious vehicle. Tyson's feelings on the two franchises are hardly surprising, given that "Star Trek" is genuinely science fiction, while "Star Wars" is more of a fantasy set in space, relying on the metaphysical Force rather than science as its guiding principle.

Neil deGrasse Tyson is also one of the world's most vocal scientists. He's appeared in shows like "The Big Bang Theory" and hosted a reboot of "Cosmos," so his opinions carry weight among sci-fi fans. While his specialty is in astrophysics, he's never shied away from delving into popular culture, pointing out inaccuracies in "Dune" and other franchises with a particular focus on movies. Tyson discusses many topics freely, though science fiction is often at the top of his list.

That doesn't mean everyone agrees with him, but when it comes to his opinion regarding "Star Wars" and "Star Trek," he's coming from a place of logic. A couple of years before his answer in 2015, Tyson discussed his feelings on "Star Wars" on "StarTalk Radio." Tyson explained, via Business Insider, "I never got into 'Star Wars.' Maybe because they made no attempt to portray real physics. At all." He's not wrong about a lack of physics in "Star Wars," as science has never been at the franchise's core.

On the other hand, "Star Trek" embraces real scientific theories as much as possible. Warp travel may seem implausible, but it is a legitimate scientific theory. All we know about faster-than-light travel in "Star Wars" is that you need a hyperdrive, which opens the door to hyperspace. While there are plenty of fantastical elements in "Star Trek," like Q's godlike abilities, the bulk of the franchise maintains a close association with physics.