Hey there! It’s Jay. When I was a kid, I loved watching science fiction movies, especially those about the future or space travel. I was amazed by all the cool gadgets and vehicles, like robots that could talk and walk like humans, and awesome spaceships like the USS Enterprise from “Star Trek.” One of my all-time favorites is the lightsaber from “Star Wars.” I loved watching “Star Wars,” and I still do! One of my best trips was to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, where I saw them make a toy lightsaber that looked just like the real thing. It was so cool!
Someone named Xavi has a question for us about lightsabers. Let’s see what Xavi wants to know. (phone ringing) – Hi, Jay. – Hi, Xavi. – I have a question for you. Could you make a real lightsaber? – That’s a great question! There are so many inventions in movies and on TV that would be fun to have in real life, like the lightsabers from “Star Wars” or machines that can take you back in time, like in “Lego Movie 2.” And don’t forget about the hoverboards from “Back to the Future.” Wouldn’t it be amazing to actually have one of those?
Before we dive in, think about this: What amazing inventions have you seen in movies or on TV that you wish were real? Take a moment to think about it. Okay, got your answer? When I was a kid, I would have loved to have a “Power Rangers” watch communicator. I had a toy “Power Rangers” watch, but it wasn’t the same as having a real one. If I had a real one, I could talk to my friends whenever I wanted and call for help if I needed it.
Here’s something cool: When I was little, there were no phone watches, but scientists and inventors saw them on TV or in movies and were inspired to figure out how to make them real, and they did! Now, phone watches are becoming more popular. And phone watches aren’t the only inventions that were once pretend. Check out these computer tablets. They may not seem like a big deal now, but when “2001: A Space Odyssey” came out, computers were huge and not portable. Scientists were inspired by movies like this and eventually figured out how to make book-sized computers real. Some of you may have even used computers like the ones in “Space Odyssey” to make video phone calls.
Sixty years ago, kids who watched “The Jetsons” would never have imagined that people could actually see the person they were talking to on the phone, and now we do it all the time! VR headsets, self-driving cars, jetpacks—there are so many ideas from movies and TV shows that scientists have turned into real inventions.
One of the coolest inventions, in my opinion, is definitely the lightsaber from “Star Wars.” Ever since “Star Wars” came out, scientists have wondered if we could actually make a real lightsaber.
We know there are toy lightsabers, and they keep getting more realistic every year. Some people even make their own lightsabers that look just like the ones in “Star Wars.” They have a handle and a light, and they look almost exactly like the real thing. But we all know it’s still just a toy. A flashlight has a handle and lights up, but is a flashlight a lightsaber? No. So what’s missing? What would it take to make something more like a “Star Wars” lightsaber in real life?
Let’s think about what a lightsaber actually does. A lightsaber is a sword made out of light or energy. It’s a beam of light that can hit another lightsaber and stop it, or cut through a metal door. But we haven’t figured out how to create a light energy that can do the things a lightsaber does in “Star Wars.” However, scientists are getting closer.
Check this out: Scientists from a company called Hacksmith Industries have figured out how to make an energy sword that can actually be used like a tool. Just like a real lightsaber, it can cut, melt, and burn through almost anything. Some people think this is the closest anyone has come to making a real lightsaber, but it’s not quite there yet. For one thing, you have to wear a backpack full of propane gas to use it. You don’t need a backpack to use a real lightsaber.
And see the energy beam shooting out of the front? If you hit it against something, the beam will just pass through it, similar to a flame on a torch or the spray of a water hose. If you hit something with it, the saber will pass right through. But the energy beams on the lightsabers we see in “Star Wars” are solid. When Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber hits another lightsaber, it doesn’t go through, and it also makes that iconic crashing sound we’re all familiar with from the “Star Wars” movies.
So, could someone make a real lightsaber? Not yet, but we might be getting close. In summary, movies and TV shows have inspired scientists to create some of the inventions we’ve seen, like phone watches and tablet computers. While we have lightsabers that light up and make sounds and even cut through things, we still haven’t made a lightsaber with a solid beam of energy like the ones in “Star Wars.” But who knows? Maybe lightsabers could be a reality in the next few years.
That’s all for this week’s question. Thanks, Xavi, for asking it! We’ll be back with a new episode in a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, here are some older questions from the question jar. You can vote on which one you think we should send out next week. You can choose from “Why do we get hiccups?”, “Why is the ocean salty?”, or “How is gold made?” So submit your vote when the video’s over. We want to hear from all of you watching. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious, and see you next week!
Create Your Own Sci-Fi Invention: Imagine you are a scientist inspired by a movie or TV show. What invention would you create? Draw a picture of your invention and write a short description of what it does and how it works. Share your drawing with your classmates and explain why you chose this invention.
Lightsaber Experiment: Using a flashlight and colored cellophane, create your own pretend lightsaber. Wrap the cellophane around the flashlight to change its color. Turn off the lights and see how your lightsaber looks in the dark. Discuss with your friends what makes a real lightsaber different from your pretend one.
Movie Inventions in Real Life: Think about an invention from a movie or TV show that you wish existed. Research if there is a real-life version of it today. For example, look up hoverboards or virtual reality headsets. Share what you find with the class and discuss how close these inventions are to the ones in the movies.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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(phone ringing) – Hi, it’s Jay. When I was a kid, I loved watching science fiction movies, especially those about the future or space travel. I enjoyed seeing all the imaginative vehicles and tech gadgets, like droids that could talk and walk like humans, and incredible spaceships like the USS Enterprise from “Star Trek.” One of my favorites is the lightsaber from “Star Wars.” I loved watching “Star Wars,” and I still do! One of my favorite trips was to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, where I got to see them make a toy lightsaber that looked like the real thing. So cool!
Someone named Xavi has a question for us about lightsabers. Let’s give Xavi a call now. (phone ringing) – Hi, Jay. – Hi, Xavi. – I have a question for you. Could you make a real lightsaber? – That’s a great question! There are so many inventions in movies and on TV that would be fun to have in real life, like the lightsabers from “Star Wars” or machines that can take you back in time, like in “Lego Movie 2.” And don’t forget about the hoverboards from “Back to the Future.” Wouldn’t it be amazing to actually have one of those?
Before I continue, I’m curious: What amazing inventions have you seen in movies or on TV that you wish were real? Now would be a good time to pause the video and discuss. Okay, you ready? I’m not sure what you answered, but I know what I would have answered as a kid: a “Power Rangers” watch communicator. I had a toy “Power Rangers” watch, but it wasn’t the same as having a real one. If I had a real one, I could talk to my friends whenever I wanted and call for help if I needed it.
Here’s the thing: When I was little, there were no phone watches, but scientists and inventors saw them on TV or in movies and were inspired to figure out how to make them real, and they did! Now, phone watches are becoming more popular. And phone watches aren’t the only inventions that were once pretend. Check out these computer tablets. They may not seem like a big deal now, but when “2001: A Space Odyssey” came out, computers were huge and not portable. Scientists were inspired by movies like this and eventually figured out how to make book-sized computers real. Some of you may have even used computers like the ones in “Space Odyssey” to make video phone calls.
Sixty years ago, kids who watched “The Jetsons” would never have imagined that people could actually see the person they were talking to on the phone, and now we do it all the time! VR headsets, self-driving cars, jetpacks—there are so many ideas from movies and TV shows that scientists have turned into real inventions. One of the coolest inventions, in my opinion, is definitely the lightsaber from “Star Wars.” Ever since “Star Wars” came out, scientists have wondered if we could actually make a real lightsaber.
We know there are toy lightsabers, and they keep getting more realistic every year. Some people even make their own lightsabers that look just like the ones in “Star Wars.” They have a handle and a light, and they look almost exactly like the real thing. But we all know it’s still just a toy. A flashlight has a handle and lights up, but is a flashlight a lightsaber? No. So what’s missing? What would it take to make something more like a “Star Wars” lightsaber in real life?
Let’s think about what a lightsaber actually does. A lightsaber is a sword made out of light or energy. It’s a beam of light that can hit another lightsaber and stop it, or cut through a metal door. But we haven’t figured out how to create a light energy that can do the things a lightsaber does in “Star Wars.” However, scientists are getting closer.
Check this out: Scientists from a company called Hacksmith Industries have figured out how to make an energy sword that can actually be used like a tool. Just like a real lightsaber, it can cut, melt, and burn through almost anything. Some people think this is the closest anyone has come to making a real lightsaber, but it’s not quite there yet. For one thing, you have to wear a backpack full of propane gas to use it. You don’t need a backpack to use a real lightsaber.
And see the energy beam shooting out of the front? If you hit it against something, the beam will just pass through it, similar to a flame on a torch or the spray of a water hose. If you hit something with it, the saber will pass right through. But the energy beams on the lightsabers we see in “Star Wars” are solid. When Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber hits another lightsaber, it doesn’t go through, and it also makes that iconic crashing sound we’re all familiar with from the “Star Wars” movies.
So, could someone make a real lightsaber? Not yet, but we might be getting close. In summary, movies and TV shows have inspired scientists to create some of the inventions we’ve seen, like phone watches and tablet computers. While we have lightsabers that light up and make sounds and even cut through things, we still haven’t made a lightsaber with a solid beam of energy like the ones in “Star Wars.” But who knows? Maybe lightsabers could be a reality in the next few years.
That’s all for this week’s question. Thanks, Xavi, for asking it! We’ll be back with a new episode in a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, here are some older questions from the question jar. You can vote on which one you think we should send out next week. You can choose from “Why do we get hiccups?”, “Why is the ocean salty?”, or “How is gold made?” So submit your vote when the video’s over. We want to hear from all of you watching. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious, and see you next week!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
