: FASTER THRN LIGHT
It's quite conceivable that [life] will eventually spread through the
galaxy and beyond. So life may not forever be an unimportant trace
contaminant of the universe, even though it now is. In fact,
I find it a rather appealing view.
-ASTRONOMER ROYAL SIR MARTIN REES
It is impossible to travel faster than the speed of light,
and certainly not desirable, as one's hat keeps blowing off.
-WOODY ALLEN
In Star Wars, as the Millennium Falcon blasts off the desert planet
Tatooine, carrying our heroes Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, the ship
encounters a squadron of menacing Imperial battleships orbiting the
planet. The Empire's battleships fire a punishing barrage of laser
blasts at our heroes' ship that steadily break through its force fields.
The Millennium Falcon is outgunned. Buckling under this withering
laser fire, Han Solo yells that their only hope is to make the jump into
"hyperspace." In the nick of time the hyperdrive engines spring to life.
All the stars around them suddenly implode toward the center of their
view screen in converging, blinding streaks of light. A hole opens up,
which the Millennium Falcon blasts through, reaching hyperspace and
freedom.