Questions tagged [natural-resources]
For questions that deal with the natural resources found in the environment.
199
questions
18
votes
6
answers
2k
views
What would be the effect of magic ultraviolet rocks on developing societies?
One of my favorite bits of set dressing is magic glowing rocks. You see them in movies, video games, and every other manner of medium conveying fantasy settings. Personally, I'm perfectly okay with ...
- 5,859
6
votes
7
answers
266
views
How would enforcement work with an AI managed world?
In a recent discussion on Dune we noticed that earlier there had been an AI ("thinking machines") managed society for the best possible outcome for the common good and that Paul Muad dib and ...
- 772
2
votes
0
answers
91
views
How much damage would the industrial extraction of oil do to an uninhabited jungle island? [closed]
Note: I have done considerable research on this topic and have not yet found an answer that fits the specific conditions of my question. Since my question has unique conditions, (for example: The oil ...
- 14.9k
0
votes
1
answer
981
views
Harvesting lightning from within the thunderstorm with a Faraday Cage
Lightning is abundant in some places in Earth. Attempts had been made it collect it.
Laser triggered lightning below is the closest attempt.
By the time it reaches the ground most of the power ...
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
300
views
Shard Technology Uses For City-Defenses [closed]
In my Fantasy world there is a magical resource called shards that is as follows:
Shard Powers: For all the people of the world; the benefits and dangers of using shards are well known. Shards are ...
- 307
6
votes
6
answers
910
views
There's no oil in space?
On earth, all sorts of machines require heavy oils and lubricants in order to function correctly, be it bearing grease, engine oil, transmission fluid or hydraulic oil, the majority of which are ...
- 1,954
-1
votes
1
answer
213
views
Why animals have to breathe? [closed]
First time poster, let me know if this is not about world building.
I am not asking about the function of respiration nor the chemical effect of oxygen and stuff. I am asking if there is any good ...
- 115
-2
votes
1
answer
172
views
Why do my players want kittens? [closed]
I'm designing a board game based on this old riddle:
As I was going to St. Ives
I met a man with seven wives.
Each wife had seven sacks;
Each sack had seven cats;
Each cat had seven kits.
Kits, cats, ...
- 219
1
vote
5
answers
3k
views
Humans with natural "weapons", how effective would they be and how would it impact development
The difference between humans and most animals, is that animals usually have natural "weapons", by that I mean claws, powerful jaws with sharp teeth, horns, tusks, etc... Humans depend on their ...
- 1,599
13
votes
1
answer
342
views
What sort of water sources could occur in a world tree?
I'm working on a fantasy setting that's literally a giant tree on a planetary scale. Magic is in effect, so concerns of how a tree that large could survive are irrelevant, but I need to figure out ...
- 968
1
vote
1
answer
258
views
Resources and shelter for water-based fantasy world [closed]
Say there is a fantasy world where land is extremely rare, with only a few islands specling it's surface. The rest of the world, however, is covered in a single ocean. What would a society be like in ...
- 2,316
8
votes
5
answers
597
views
What are the political pitfalls with the ability to shift liquid water to any location? [closed]
I would like to propose being able to transport water at very low cost to any location on our current or near-future Earth. The mechanism of transport is technology based, and results in 100% pure ...
- 1,416
7
votes
3
answers
528
views
Is it possible for a planet to have few metal ores but an overabundance of gemstones?
Background: The planet is very volcanic, having at least a dozen volcanoes on any landmass and even more in the oceans. I want the planet to have very few metal ores but a complete overabundance of ...
- 1,032
4
votes
2
answers
229
views
A world with sentient life but very few natural resources to spare
Background: My settings world has sentient life around the space-faring level. The problem is that the planet itself has very few natural resources available, they’re too deep down to harvest or ...
- 1,032
1
vote
5
answers
193
views
Resources that a new space colony cannot produce on its own [closed]
Setting: Sci-Fi Roleplaying Game
Location: A large colony on the Fronteirs, far from any hub, but the size of modern city.
I am writing a mission where my players are going to a relatively new ...
- 2,101
13
votes
9
answers
7k
views
Using a quarry as a water reservoir
Our country, which is located in thousands of km2 of plains, needs a way to store water. Dams are not an option due to the fact that there are no mountains. We have retired mining quarries that are ...
- 1,578
6
votes
2
answers
876
views
Is a habitable desert planet with large fossil fuel deposits possible?
I'm working on a sci-fi Western scenario on a habitable desert planet along the lines of Tatooine from Star Wars and Arrakis from Dune.
For it to be habitable there has to be water below the surface ...
- 389
21
votes
7
answers
3k
views
How can I get enough food into my underground empire?
I'd like to have a large underground world. Imagine the "Underdark" which will be familiar with DnD folks. A huge network of large and small caverns connected by winding passageways. The occasional ...
- 9,408
5
votes
3
answers
353
views
What fossil fuel may be found on a carbon planet?
My scenario is a civilization on a carbon-rich planet. The planet has a hydrocarbon atmosphere, oceans and clouds. Most rocks are carbides. The only flammable substance in such an atmosphere is oxygen....
- 5,222
0
votes
4
answers
239
views
Generate electricity using altitude and pipe
A present day society has had to relocate from their coastal community and have taken refuge at the top of a very high mountain roughly 10,000 feet above sea level. This mountain is the most prominent ...
user40828
7
votes
4
answers
817
views
What resources do I need to feed a hippogriff squadron?
I'm working out the back story of a flying castle run by a king who has a squadron of 200 air cavalry. All the knights ride hippogriffs: head and wings of large eagles, bodies of horses.
Horses eat ...
- 821
18
votes
10
answers
2k
views
Is there a way to have coal but not oil?
Reading this answer I realized that for my purposes I don't really want a fully steampunk world. All I want is lack of cars and planes as we know them, and lack of oil, or inaccessible deposits of oil,...
- 33.1k
3
votes
1
answer
542
views
Using capillary action to bring water up to flying cities
Please let me start by a quick description of the environment :
The planet where the action takes place is several times bigger than our Earth, and orbits around a fictive star into a fictive solar ...
- 33
7
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Reason why a mountainous Kingdom doesn't have/use much metal
Essentially in my world I have a large and mountainous kingdom, but I have always envisioned them wearing leather armor with cloaks etc.
Is there a valid reason I could state for why they don't wear ...
- 73
7
votes
6
answers
726
views
Polynesian technology with alternative resources
Could a small isolated island without trees yield alternative resources that enable Polynesian-level seafaring technology?
The island of Rapa Nui (known as Easter Island in English) had an ...
- 69.2k
21
votes
8
answers
5k
views
Living in a Giant Swamp - Construction
In my fantasy novel, I have people living in a giant swamp forest. The swamp stretches as far as the eye can see, so draining is not an option, as there is simply nowhere to drain the swamp to.
My ...
2
votes
2
answers
371
views
What economic effects would magically-enforced isolation have on the Victorian age British Empire?
The year is 1862. A magician raises up an impenetrable magical barrier around the British Isles.
The barrier is spherical in shape, and it contains England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. It also ...
- 5,966
5
votes
2
answers
392
views
Living on a Giant Tree - Resources
This is one of a series of questions centered around living on a giant tree. The setting/scenario is described below:
In my fantasy world, elves live on a giant tree, very similar in structure to a ...
3
votes
3
answers
193
views
Which crucial ore (deficit or abundance) could plausibly dramatically change modern-like civilization?
I need a bit more flavour to my setting. If it's just Earth like - it's boring. If all technology (in spite of comparable tech level) is too alien then there is a risk that it is simply impractical to ...
- 10.1k
7
votes
1
answer
210
views
What realistic data for a game based on management of polluting plants?
I am not a writer nor an artist but I am creating a video game and I am looking for a realistic imaginary world based on science. I am looking for realistic data to support the strategical framework ...
10
votes
7
answers
3k
views
What metals will a culture most likely use if use of iron is prohibited?
What metals will a culture most likely use if use of iron is prohibited but it has advanced technology?
- 4,893
-7
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What will happen if one of the four elements disappears? [closed]
Suppose that one of the 4 elements (earth, water, fire, air) will cease to exist in 20 years.
What will happen to the world? And what will happen to humankind?
- 65
7
votes
9
answers
1k
views
Catching Rainwater in a Safe and Efficient Manner?
There is a world out there, with people fairly like us (minor physical distinctions, irrelevant to the question), and with technology on par with ours, but with a very different religion.
The world (...
- 792
-4
votes
3
answers
188
views
Panning for Gold [closed]
Could there ever be a river or stream in which gold can be gathered if a net is placed propensity to the flow? I mean in the long term, getting substantial amounts of gold every day.
- 368
5
votes
8
answers
551
views
Industrious uses for a perpetually strong-flowing magically circular river
So in my fantasy world I have a river that is in the shape of a perfect circle if viewed from above. Lets say the diameter of the interior is about 10 km, and the width would be wide at about 200 ...
- 1,886
5
votes
4
answers
238
views
Living on an Isolated Peninsula - Armor
Question
This is one of a series of questions centered around how an isolated group of people would survive. Each question focuses on a single aspect of survival. Details about the peoples' situation ...
4
votes
4
answers
212
views
Resources to possess, and restrict in asteroid belt
Assume 100 years from now we have established sustainable bases on Mars, to the point where a colony ship making the trip to Mars is not "breaking news" anymore. There are a few reasons to begin to ...
- 41
6
votes
3
answers
658
views
What's the easiest way to locate resource deposits on a new planet?
If I've recently started a colony on a somewhat habitable, but uninhabited planet, what's the best way to determine the location of any ore or other subterranean resource deposits?
The planet is ...
- 46.2k
2
votes
2
answers
113
views
Living on an Isolated Peninsula - Population vs. Ecosystem
This is one of a series of questions centered around how an isolated group of people would survive. Each question focuses on a single aspect of survival. Details about the peoples' situation are below:...
5
votes
4
answers
346
views
Living on an Isolated Peninsula - Resources
This is one of a series of questions centered around how an isolated group of people would survive. Each question focuses on a single aspect of survival. Details about the peoples' situation are below:...
4
votes
3
answers
665
views
Where and how can we mine diamonds outside of Earth but within our Solar System?
Edited to give a reason why synthetic diamonds wouldn't work instead.
In the distant future, all the diamonds are gone.
While synthetic diamonds are an excellent sollution for technology - as @...
- 20.5k
2
votes
4
answers
1k
views
How do I build my Space Fleet?
So, if Humanity wants to conquer the galaxy one star at a time, it is going to need a massive fleet. This fleet will require massive resources to build. If I want to build a fleet to take over the ...
- 2,549
1
vote
1
answer
124
views
Trying to build a realistic dead-people, biologically and environmentally friendly world based on biological naturalness and ancestry [closed]
What would be wrong, with, say having an open area where everyone could be let there to decompose naturally (once dead). How long would it take, using this technique, for subside to reach the stage ...
- 129
115
votes
12
answers
29k
views
How long would it take to create a Windows 1.0 capable machine from complete scratch?
I've been thinking about this concept for a while and have not been able to figure out what could be a plausible answer. It seemed appropriate for my first question on this website.
Imagine an ...
- 1,201
0
votes
3
answers
305
views
Is there any way to artificially produce a nebula?
There is an intergalactic war going on in the Milky Way, to get more resources. My company have been called upon to mine nebulae. There is no nebulae in the vicinity but I have got a few high mass ...
- 46.4k
2
votes
1
answer
316
views
What are the occupational hazards for mining the nebulae?
As a high mass star which have already burnt through all of the lighter elements and is now building up iron, the fusion reaction will no longer produce sufficient energy to counter its own weight. In ...
- 46.4k
20
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Could Inuits survive in Antarctica?
Imagine that a group of Inuits from Greenland settled in Antarctica; let's say on the Antarctic peninsula, if there is no better place in Antarctica.
Could they survive there with their traditional ...
- 359
-2
votes
1
answer
59
views
Survival On Different Planet With Given Resources [closed]
Imagine you are travelling on a space craft “Futura” with a sole aim to find out the EARTH 2.0.
For this, you carry along the following: a dog, a rat, plant seeds (rice), cultures of algae, oxygen ...
- 101
15
votes
4
answers
10k
views
Which Natural Resources Go Where? (Medieval Fantasy Setting)
I am creating a fictional fantasy (Medieval-ish era) world. The area covered by my map is fairly large, and contains an ocean, mountains, plains, lakes, forests, swamps, etc. It's pretty much all ...
7
votes
3
answers
527
views
How plausible is this as a corporate motivation?
250 years in the future, humanity has colonized Mars and the Moon, and built thousands of orbiting outposts and hundreds of O'Neill cylinders in the zone between Venus and Jupiter. The key enabler of ...
- 11.3k