Since the late ‘70s, Star Trek vs. Star Wars has been one of the biggest geek debates in sci-fi fandom. Fans are so passionate about one side or the other that it’s often led to heated arguments.

One of the most popular debates centers on the iconic ships of both franchises: Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon vs. the Starship Enterprise. Star Trek featured several different ships called Enterprise on film and television, which were helmed by captains Kirk, Picard, and Archer. But the original series Enterprise, and the Enterprise D from Star Trek: The Next Generation are the most popular incarnations.

Noted astrophysicist, cosmologist, and TV host Neil deGrasse Tyson has stepped into this fan debate in a new video posted to the National Geographic YouTube channel. And surprisingly, it wasn’t even a contest for Tyson.

“It’s easy, the Enterprise,” said Tyson. “There’s no question…The Enterprise has the benefit of being ‘real’ in the sense that there are real scientists and real engineers on staff, on the ship, monitoring its engines, its warp drive, its photon torpedos. And so it’s ‘fake real,’ as opposed to the Millennium Falcon, which is just ‘fake fake.’”

Technically, neither the Enterprise nor the Millennium Falcon are real. Star Trek has at least made the attempt to explain the science behind its technology. But most of that tech is only theoretical, so it’s not any more “real” than the technology behind the ships in Star Wars.

Which ship do you prefer: the Enterprise or the Millennium Falcon? Tyson’s made his choice, what’s yours?

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HT: Star Talk

Image Credit: Paramount; Lucasfilm