Hyperchannel is a bite-sized podcast from Trek.fm hosted by Luke Weir that helps you keep your finger on the pulse of what's happening in the world of Star Trek each weekday.
http://hyperchannel.libsyn.com/webpage
Hyperchannel 21: Leonard McCoy's Magic Pills
Phase II: Concept Art from Mike Minor's Drawing Board
In 1977, Paramount Pictures envisioned a new five year mission for the Enterprise. Although illustrator Mike Minor (who also worked on TOS, The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan—and who was the uncredited creator of "The Tholian Web"—created concept art for the project, titled Phase II, the show was never realized. However, several pieces of Minor's concept art for the show have recently been released, showing designs for engineering, the captain’s quarters, a cargo hold, and a recreation room.
View Minor's Phase II artwork on ScienceFiction.com.
Making Dr. McCoy's Magic Pills Real
When the crew of the Enterprise traveled back to 1986 San Francisco, the most shocking thing to Bones wasn't chaotic traffic or computer input via mouse, it was the primitive state of medicine. Taking inspiration from Star Trek, doctors today are working to make things like Dr. McCoy's magic pills—which apparently grow new kidneys. A breakthrough by Gladstone Institutes allows scientists to transform skin cells into heart muscle cells, which could eventually lead to the development of Star Trek-like treatments for a wide range of ailments.
Read the full Treknosis column on StarTrek.com