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A flux capacitor was a component associated with the flux capacitance of a starship's warp matrix.

In 2366, when Lieutenant Barclay was offering hypothetical reasons for one of the anti-grav units' failure, Wesley Crusher suggested that Barclay check the "flow capacitor", which flustered Barclay. Barclay then visited one of his fantastical Holodeck programs and ranted to a simulated Counselor Troi about the encounter, "I knew about the flux capacitor, but I didn't need to hear about it from some 17-year-old kid." (TNG: "Hollow Pursuits")

Barclay's line in the script is "I knew about the flow capacitor…". This may have been changed while filming or was a mistake on Dwight Schultz' part. [1]

After telling Dr. Bashir he was leaving Deep Space 9 to teach at the Academy in 2375, Miles O'Brien jokingly claimed it was because "somebody has to teach you officers the difference between a warp matrix flux capacitor and a self-sealing stem bolt". (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")

According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 277), flux capacitance is a light-hearted nod to the time travel-enabling "flux capacitor" of the Back to the Future films, starring Christopher Lloyd, Thomas F. Wilson and Lea Thompson.

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