Rocket Man

William Shatner's unforgettable performance at a science fiction conference redefines irony—was it a joke or a true hit?

BySean Carroll

I know, it's William Shatner. At [strike]a science fiction conference[/strike] an awards show. From the Seventies. "Singing" an Elton John/Bernie Taupin hit.

But still. It can't be for real, right? Like, irony? Please tell me it's a joke. Seriously. (Via The Sports Guy, ultimately via Ed Brayton.)

Sean Carroll
View Full Profile

Is There a Benefit to Having Neanderthal DNA in the Human Genome?

Illustration of adult Nanotyrannus (left) and two juvenile T. rex in a face-off during the Late Cretaceous

The Sciences

Tiny Throat Bone Confirms Nanotyrannus as Own Species — Adding Another Predator to the Late Cretaceous

Fresco Trionfo della Morte (Triumph of Death) at the Camposanto Monumentale in Pisa

The Sciences

Volcanic Eruptions May Have Been Responsible for the Spread of Black Death in Medieval Europe

Illustration of two Olorotitans, type of duck-billed dinosaur

The Sciences

Duck-Billed Dinos Broke Their Mates’ Tails, Exposing Dinosaur Sex and Sexual Difference

Mandible of Homo sapien woman who lived 7,900 years ago in southern Africa

The Sciences

Ancient Genomes Expose 200,000 Years of Human Isolation in Southern Africa

ancient millstone used for grain grinding

The Sciences

Early Humans Mastered Plant Processing 170,000 Years Ago, Challenging the Paleolithic Meat-Eater Myth

The Sciences

16,000 Fossilized Footprints Reveal South America's Forgotten Dinosaur Highway

The Sciences

Icy Volcanic Action on Comet 3I/ATLAS Has Produced an Unusual Combo of Chemicals

Triton's trumpet, Charonia lampas, underwater

The Sciences

6,000 Years Later, Neolithic Seashells Made into Trumpets Still Work

An illustration of an ancient total solar eclipse in the sky above a river and mountains in China.

The Sciences

2,700-Year-Old Total Solar Eclipse Observations Give Insight to Our Ancient Solar System

Illustration of Mars in Solar System with sun shining in background, an example of time

The Sciences

Einstein's Theory Was Right — Mars Has Its Own Clock and It Runs Faster Than Earth’s

The Sciences

Catch the Final Supermoon of 2025 with December's Cold Moon

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Rocket Man

Newsletter

Sean Carroll

A Tiny Dinosaur Swallowed Too Many Stones, Died — and Left Behind a 120-Million-Year Mystery

A Hidden Molecular Clock in Maggots Could Transform Forensic Time-of-Death Estimates

Dust Devils on Mars Crackle and Pop with Electricity, Showing How Sparks Fly in Martian Storms

Is There a Benefit to Having Neanderthal DNA in the Human Genome?

Tiny Throat Bone Confirms Nanotyrannus as Own Species — Adding Another Predator to the Late Cretaceous

Volcanic Eruptions May Have Been Responsible for the Spread of Black Death in Medieval Europe

Duck-Billed Dinos Broke Their Mates’ Tails, Exposing Dinosaur Sex and Sexual Difference

Ancient Genomes Expose 200,000 Years of Human Isolation in Southern Africa

Early Humans Mastered Plant Processing 170,000 Years Ago, Challenging the Paleolithic Meat-Eater Myth

16,000 Fossilized Footprints Reveal South America's Forgotten Dinosaur Highway

Icy Volcanic Action on Comet 3I/ATLAS Has Produced an Unusual Combo of Chemicals

6,000 Years Later, Neolithic Seashells Made into Trumpets Still Work

2,700-Year-Old Total Solar Eclipse Observations Give Insight to Our Ancient Solar System

Einstein's Theory Was Right — Mars Has Its Own Clock and It Runs Faster Than Earth’s

Catch the Final Supermoon of 2025 with December's Cold Moon

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

SubscribeTo The Magazine