Questions tagged [science-fiction]
For questions relating to worlds with a setting of common science-fiction.
6
votes
5answers
290 views
How Are Humans Special? [on hold]
Setting: Far future space based science fiction. Think Star Trek: Enterprise levels of tech with more consistency and more resources if that helps.
There are 4 sentient species in my setting:
Homo ...
18
votes
3answers
4k views
Does water in vacuum form a solid shell or freeze solid?
I'm working on a sci-fi setting which includes an aquatic space-faring species.
When a human space vessel is ruptured and depressurizes, the gas can escape rapidly and we immediately suffer from the ...
0
votes
4answers
253 views
Need help developing a weapon for destroying a dam [on hold]
I am working on a story that happens in a dystopian world where the only source of energy is Coal.
I wanted to know whether it is possible to break a dam by pressurizing Dam walls with coal GAS
...
3
votes
3answers
238 views
Are there any issues with this FTL drive concept?
I asked a question earlier on here concerning Negative and Heavy Matter - hypothetical types of matter I created to have a working FTL drive. With some extra work, I’ve tweaked the concept and been ...
9
votes
3answers
674 views
Appropriate liquid/solvent for life in my underground environment on Venus
Partly inspired by this question
My Venusians are happy in their cloud top city when a small group somehow (with lots of handwaving) crashes to the surface, falls underground, and ends up in a hidden ...
-1
votes
1answer
130 views
Could a black hole be used to lessen surface gravity on a Super-Earth?
Due to the moon's gravitational pull, objects at Earth's surface directly under the moon are slightly lighter. This tiny lessening of gravity would also take effect if the moon were on the exact ...
6
votes
2answers
123 views
How feasible is this gravity-altering exotic matter I’ve conceived? Would it have any unforseen consequences?
Ok so I was thinking about a way to hypothetically have undiscovered elements with bizarre properties (for unobtainium purposes). And an idea hit me: replace nucleons with heavier but stable ...
0
votes
1answer
76 views
What if Alien Technology is discovered in the early 20th Century [closed]
So let's say that a surplus of largely more advanced technology from a now extinct race is first discovered around 1925. While it is at first only found in one location artifacts begin to be uncovered ...
1
vote
3answers
236 views
How can I describe a substance that allows for suspended animation while keeping the mind active?
I am a collector traveling from planet to planet, who believes that art is an expression of human emotion and feeling, and can come in all types of forms. Many greats, such as Picasso and Van Gogh, ...
1
vote
0answers
71 views
Could you disrupt the gravity of a black hole using quadrillions of supernova explosions? [duplicate]
For context, I’m planning a novel with as much ridiculous magic as ridiculous science so, yes I know, it’s impossible but that's the fun of mixing science and magic in worldbuilding.
So the situation ...
2
votes
5answers
182 views
Minimum speed required for a galaxy spanning empire
The dawn of the Galactic Empire!
Assume that FTL travel and communication is possible, for simplicity we say c is the speed of light.
Assume any speed of travel and communication < c*2^100 is ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
How can a demonic viral infection spread throughout the body without being noticed?
Demonic possession occurs when an evil spirit hijacks the biological system of an organism, corrupting it and taking control of its functions. Although powerful, the possession eventually breaks down ...
5
votes
4answers
233 views
Could a Stanford torus rotate on an additional axis to give it a diurnal cycle?
Suppose you have a regular old Stanford torus space station with a 'glass ceiling' rotating at 1.3 RPM. Put it in orbit around a star such that its axis of rotation intersects the star (in other words,...
11
votes
3answers
1k views
Would the rotation of the starfield from a ring station be too disorienting?
The Coriolis effect on a ring-shaped space station gets the most attention, but disregarding that, would the rotation of the starfield be too disorienting?
A 1km radius station at 1G simulated ...
5
votes
7answers
258 views
How would a military counter the use of genetically modified insects used to defeat CBRN protective gear?
One military has developed insects with strong jaws capable of chewing through the weaker parts of CBRN (Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense) gear and then injecting neurotoxins ...
1
vote
1answer
152 views
What is the largest I can make my water planet, while remaining within Earth-like parameters?
What is the largest planet I can get, while still remaining within Earth-like parameters? My concern is with gravity, water pressure and atmospheric pressure. Escape velocity is less of a concern. ...
1
vote
2answers
91 views
How can existing methods of plumping, genetic modification, and gmo feeding be altered to accommodate the need for plumper, meatier human food stock?
I am an orc warboss called "The Beast" who has invaded earth and enslaved humanity. You humies are a worthless sprcies that have accomplished nothing of note in your civilizations throughout history. ...
2
votes
4answers
183 views
Would a person be able to punch a truck away, if his ability was to subvert “Newton's 3rd Law of Motion”?
I'm struggling with the physics here a bit since I'm a complete novice at this. I'm making a character who's main ability is to subvert/play around with the 3rd Law of motion (For every action, there'...
1
vote
3answers
110 views
How would a person be able to attain superspeed if they could subvert Newton's 2nd Law of Motion?
I'm struggling with the physics here a bit since I'm a complete novice at this. I'm making a character whose main ability is to subvert/play around with the 2nd Law of motion.
Somehow I understand ...
1
vote
0answers
55 views
How might teleportation to or from a place far from a teleportation device work? [closed]
In many science fiction television shows, and movies characters are teleported from the space ship to a planet, and vice verse, even though the planet has no teleportation device on it's surface, and ...
2
votes
3answers
174 views
What would increasing the gravity of a moon do to its planet?
If I terraformed a moon to have enough artificial gravity/atmosphere to support life, would they end up just crashing into each other? Is there a way to not have this happen, e.g., increasing distance ...
0
votes
5answers
139 views
Uses for members of society with cool powers [closed]
In my world, one in every 1000 is born with a power/gift/talent/whatever you want to call it. If you are born with a gift it is in one of three categories: teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy.
...
5
votes
1answer
132 views
Habitability inside an enclosed solar system
In D&D Spelljammer, there's a concept of "crystal spheres" that enclose a solar system, with its radius being double the radius between the sun and its furthest planet. For my solar system, I did ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Plausibility of “diamond”-like crystal and/or mineral substances forming on a planet orbiting a dwarf star
Alright, so the primary inspiration for this is 55 Cancri e, the speculated carbon "diamond world" and to a degree, Nkllon, a planet in Star Wars that is essentially what Cancri is, but "confirmed" to ...
5
votes
3answers
165 views
Plausibility of purple oceans
Alright, so I've been meaning to write out a planet with golden/yellow fields and a violet / purple ocean.
What I was thinking about is having the water of this world is so clean and nourishing that ...
5
votes
11answers
601 views
Horses vs. Bicycles in a soft post-apocalypse
I want to ask about the utility of bicycles vs. horses, but in a rather specific circumstance.
In the future, there is war (the particulars are irrelevant), and it causes the usual loss of population ...
1
vote
1answer
98 views
How would someone who could break the laws of motion apply it? [closed]
I'm working on a "Science Fantasy" story and in my story I'm trying to approach magic from a different angle. I understand this is a fictional work but I'd like to get my facts right nonetheless.
The ...
5
votes
10answers
381 views
Limit immortality technology by cost
The setting is the modern day, US. All aspects (unless addressed by the question) can be assumed to be the same as our current, real Earth.
This question has the assumption that a technology exists ...
3
votes
3answers
147 views
What might be the nature of interstellar warfare given access to instant communication and Alcubierre drive technology? [closed]
The title really speaks for itself. Given what we know about Alcubierre drives (and yes, I know they're extremely hypothetical, but for this question let's just assume they can exist as we currently ...
7
votes
16answers
2k views
How would the world control an invulnerable immortal mass murderer? [closed]
This question came to me after re-watching Jason movies and some Hulk movies. SCP-096 was a huge inspiration as well. Forgive me if this question is silly but I'm curious on how humanity would react ...
7
votes
8answers
2k views
Need a suitable toxic chemical for a murder plot in my novel
I need ideas for a chemical or disease which kills the victim upon holding it in the palm for about 4 or 5 seconds. The death isn't necessarily immediate, as it might take days to kill the victim in ...
3
votes
4answers
157 views
What would a bioengineered human-predator look like? [closed]
Read (and watched) 'After Earth', where humanity has fled a dying Earth to colonise a new world. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, some intelligent aliens decide to periodically send waves of ...
3
votes
9answers
289 views
How do I give my alien mercenaries a fighting chance?
So, Earth has run afoul of an alien power. The aliens have a working FTL drive, but no one else (including us) does. They have used their technological superiority to create a far flung mercantile ...
2
votes
2answers
99 views
How might a superintelligent spider species that trap humans and incorporate their minds into their hive come about? [closed]
In the Netflix short film "Beyond the Aquila rift" (spoiler ahead), we see a spaceship and her crew trapped in a spiders web. The spider plays mind games with them, feeding them simulations involving ...
3
votes
3answers
112 views
How can combining two ethereal substances that naturally repel amplify each others effects?
Angels and demons come from the ethereal realm, a plane of pure energy. The former is made up of pure ether while the latter is made up of a corrupted version. These forces naturally repel each other, ...
2
votes
0answers
46 views
Could a rogue planet support life? [duplicate]
I was wondering whether a free floating planet could potentially host life. If so, how? I was thinking of a geothermically active planet, where the only source of heat comes within the planet itself. ...
-3
votes
3answers
225 views
Are atoms present in the vacuum of space?
I'm currently writing this story where an intelligent lifeform, instead of human eye-sight, is able identify the chemical composition of their surroundings, by detecting and "mapping" all the atoms ...
31
votes
26answers
5k views
Keeping a retro style to sci-fi spaceships?
In my sci-fi world, mankind has begun colonization of the large asteroid Ceres. There are several established towns on the surface, but most of the population live underground in icy/rocky caves. The ...
3
votes
7answers
2k views
Is a “Democratic” Oligarchy-Style System Possible?
I am considering a story where a group of human colonists looking to colonize an alien world come across another human society on an alien world on the other side of a wormhole. The colonists crash ...
41
votes
20answers
9k views
What could be the right powersource for 15 seconds lifespan disposable giant chainsaw?
Imagine when a jet fighter swoops in to drop a 400 pounds giant chainsaw to you just so that you can use it to grind down one problematic enemy into a pulp then discard it a foot away from you. What ...
6
votes
6answers
2k views
Can a planet have a different gravitational pull depending on its location in orbit around its sun?
As the title say, can a planet have a different gravitational pull depending on its location in orbit around its sun?
Is this explainable without magic?
9
votes
2answers
190 views
Plants That Use Chitin in Place of Lignin
What would the appearance and structure of trees be like if they used chitin, instead of lignin, for cell walls? This is assuming that all other properties are basically unchanged.
These trees would ...
20
votes
27answers
6k views
How does one intimidate enemies without having the capacity for violence?
I'm building a world in a nation role-play community. I recently have begun to use ftl technologies (ftl information transfer and travel) while the majority of the community has had ftl technologies ...
0
votes
4answers
178 views
Could a future, science-fiction submarine navigate almost vertical and/or turn upside down?
I have followed this forum for quite some time. Now is the time to ask my first question :) I'm currently working on a story in which a future, civilian luxury submarine is used to research some ...
1
vote
2answers
118 views
I need help with making an eldritch monster [closed]
Im writing a fiction and i need some help. I need to create an eldritch abomination that would represent humanity as a collective. Think of it this way. Humanity is collectively killed and merged into ...
9
votes
5answers
2k views
Is it possible to map the firing of neurons in the human brain so as to stimulate artificial memories in someone else?
My question is based on the following excerpt from an article I read recently:
Since the early neurological work of Karl Lashley and Wilder Penfield in the 1950s and 1960s, it has become clear that ...
3
votes
5answers
277 views
Missile strike detection (but it's not actually a missile)
I'm writing a story to be set around the late 1980s or early 1990s. The story opens with a spaceship crashing to Earth, hitting and destroying a large part of central London. The idea is that, before ...
15
votes
4answers
293 views
Can I X-Ray a civilisation to death?
Something in orbit around an inhabited planet blasts it with a hefty dose of gamma rays/x-rays/something else, killing everyone within a relatively short time frame (hours or days) but leaving no ...
0
votes
3answers
143 views
Is using Casaba Howitzer like devices as precision-cutting implements plausible?
How well would something like a Casaba Howitzer work as a beam weapon? A Casaba Howitzer is a type of directional blast that focuses energy from an explosion into a specific shape or direction. For ...
11
votes
9answers
1k views
Why would telepaths have difficulty communicating with each other? [closed]
Humans in this world are born with the ability to communicate telepathically. The range and skill grows with age and practice, with adults being able to communicate between 5 - 7 ft. An individual can ...
