The Physics of Star Trek, by Lawrence M. Krauss (Flamingo, £6.99 in UK)

To boldly go is one thing, but for an eminent professor of physics to devote an entire, if admittedly slim, volume to discussion of worm holes, warp speeds and the possibility that Mr Spock might be alive and well and living out there somewhere would appear to be something else entirely. Professor Krauss, however, reckons that "Star Trek is a natural vehicle for many people's curiosity about the universe" so he uses his scarifyingly detailed knowledge of the sci fi series as a springboard for userfriendly explanations of the latest concepts in quantum mechanics and particle physics, relativity and cosmology. It sounds weird but, thanks to his finely balanced juggling of wit and wisdom, it works.