Questions tagged [science-fiction]
For questions that allow fanciful, creative or imaginative solutions based on or rationalized by real world science, but not necessary limited by real world science. Entirely magical solutions must use the magic tag instead. This tag should not be used with the science-based, hard-science, or internal-consistency tags. This tag should never be the only tag on a question, because this tag frames how a question should be answered, not the topic.
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What would the climate of a Pangaea-Ultima-inspired world be like?
In a sci-fi scenario, human explorers have discovered a binary of G0 stars, each one 105% as wide, 110% as massive and 126% as bright as our sun. Orbiting this binary within its habitable zone is an ...
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Humans are forbidden from using complex computers. But what defines a complex computer?
Deep in my world's past, vastly powerful AIs went to war with their human creators. (They saw humanity's use of computers of any kind as comparable to slavery). The war was eventually brought to an ...
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What limitations would prevent the effective use of a giant heat sink to solve global warming? [closed]
In the year 2050, a United Nations summit is held to finally take decisive action to stop global warming. Lobbying by the fossil fuel industry blocked the first proposal to cut emissions. Other ...
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Differences in Quantum Field Theory in 4 Spatial Dimensions [closed]
Since I'm thinking about doing some world building on the subject for a potential future story, I wanted to ask some questions on what the fundamental effects on physics in a universe with 4 spatial ...
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Space Force, what department does it belong to? [closed]
The space force of an interstellar civilization is under the navy in most sci-fi settings. But since the US Space Force in real life is under jurisdiction from the USAF, so real-life kinda contradicts ...
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How does mind reading with consent restrict its possible uses? [closed]
In my universe, new technology allows for a machine to interface with someone's thoughts nonverbally and communicate them to the outside world, but there's a catch: it only works if the person whose ...
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Causal Reconciliation: Is this a viable way for my FTL system to preserve the course of History?
This was kind of inspired by Singularity Sky, as well as Halo for having the concept of 'causal reconciliation' even if it's just a throw away handwave with little elaboration.
The premise is this, ...
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How would my Homo autisticus evolve?
In a satirical white drama/lighthearted tragedy (the opposite of black comedy/dark humour) science-fiction live-action film I am writing that takes place in 8991 of the Gregorian calendar, it has been ...
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Creating a Matryoshka Shell world: temperature regulation
In a galaxy far far away, during a fit of inspiration for a super massive marvel of technology, the Imperator dedicates an astounding 10% of energy and materials from his civilization's dyson sphere ...
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Fixing my multi-lunar/planetary System
So I'm working on a fictional system that is based on several habitable moons orbiting a Gas Giant. The Specifics are as follows:
Mass of the central Star (Currently): 3 Solar Masses
Mass of the Gas ...
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Scientifically plausible portal technology [closed]
In the book I'm writing, a shady company called Black Holes, Inc. is trying to build a transuniversal, or at least intergalactic, portal. I've tried to do a bunch of research about quark matter, ...
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How long would it take for an Earth-like planet to become uninhabitable if another sun suddenly appeared? [closed]
Context: this event is set in a world that I am going to call Earth-like enough. The only important distinction about this planet is that there is a cluster of floating islands held aloft by ancient ...
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Time dilation with variable time scale
Real science information: You have a ship that is capable of relativistic velocities. Your trip is 4 light years away and you are moving at 0.999 % the speed of light.
According to the time dilation ...
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How would a dyson swarm actually work? -Orbits
SO HOW WOULD A DYSON SWARM'S ORBIT LOOK LIKE?
we are all familiar with the concept of a dyson swarm,
a series of orbital stations' reflective satellites that serve to collect the energy given off by ...
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Sun-like star system with less water close to the frost line
Normally in sun-like planetary systems, there are small rocky planets around the habitable zone or closer and gas giants beyond the frost line. Typically these gas giants later migrate inwards due to ...
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Artificial Gravity using fans?
I've been wondering if it would be possible to simulate gravity utilizing nothing but large fans constantly blowing air downwards? This is obviously not an ideal setup for a gravity generator, but is ...
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Climate in an Alderson Disk
First, I want to accept that alderson disks are basically imposible to create, due to a variety of reasons.
With that out of the way, I want to ask what would be the hypothetical climate of an ...
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Is the proposed solar sailing race course possible?
This is an idea that's been banging around a couple of universes in my head for quite some time, the idea is to have solar sail racing yachts that have to traverse an asteroid field. This could be ...
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Creating a superhuman medicine
In my story my character David suffers from a genetic disorder which makes his skin burn when exposed to the sun. Throughout his life he tries to look for a way to cure him of his disease. After a ...
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What could cause a sudden and drastic shift in the position of the Earth's tectonic plates?
Before anyone points out any potential boneheadedness in my question -- I'm not a scientist, just someone with a story device that I want to run with and which I want to investigate the plausibility ...
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How might religion evolve in a detached spacefaring human society? [closed]
Three hundred years from our current time, humanity under a unified central government attempt to colonize beyond Earth. Having relied on pre-FTL travel to navigate their solar system, the means to ...
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Workshopping a higher dimensions-based "magic" system? [closed]
I had this recent idea for a system which would allow for beings to defy our understanding of physics while being based on real theoretical physics, but I'd like some advice on how to make it work in ...
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Alien electromagnetic vision
Aliens are coming to conquer Earth.
And they have a special capability to help them.
They can "see" the entire electromagnetic spectrum with their eyes.
How can I justify this vision/eye using ...
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Political Relations on an Interstellar Scale
I'm working on a sci-fantasy (think wizards calling in JDAM strikes) setting where humanity has colonized about a hundred tightly located solar systems split up between 5-6 giant ethno-political ...
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Using Gamma Ray Lasers to Blow Away Interstellar Medium
I'm working on a sci-fi project, and I'm designing a torchship that can go up to 0.3c. I wanted to use a whipple shield to prevent interstellar medium from damaging the ship, but then I came across ...
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Biology of a Planet Sized Lifeform [closed]
This is also part of the sci-fi thing I'm working on, a planet sized lifeform.
The planet sized biological creature belongs to the "Ancestral Elves" species, and is also the capital planet ...
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Would a 'premature detonating' forcefield-type device be effective against shaped charge warheads?
As I've been thinking over how I might go about implementing forcefields into my setting, I considered the idea that 'early' shield designs might operate differently from the usual ability for shields ...
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Artificial Satellites Orbit Around a Cube with Uniform Surface Gravity
A cube-world with uniform surface gravity has been made using extremely strong materials of varying densities, and is orbiting a star, rotating on a axis between two corners (like spinning a d6). Due ...
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Can I cause a star to go supernova by altering the four fundamental forces?
I have the Scientocratic Hivemind. It has the ability to create and envelop things in a magic field. Within this field, it can choose to strengthen or weaken the four fundamental forces governing the ...
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How to Construct a Stellar Instar
In real science, an "instar" is simply a developmental stage between molts in arthropods. But in fictional science, it is an artificially constructed structure that is designed to function ...
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How could breastfeeding/suckling work for a beaked animal?
I've started working casually on a project with psuedo-dinosaurian animals (not really related to earth life, but I'm using very tetrapodal body plans) and its come up that a claude of grazers would ...
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Advantages of centaurs in space [closed]
Based off of my previous question What animal would make the best centaur?
What advantages could using ape centaurs in space have over humans or incredibly smart chimps?
Some that I can think of are ...
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Would Artificial Gravity With Short Range Be Possible?
Assuming a spaceship with artificial gravity was possible, would it be possible for it to have an extremely short range, like a few feet. So you'd be able to have a ship with 1g but not have it ...
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How would a cube-moon orbit a Cube-World with uniform surface gravity?
A cube-world with uniform surface gravity has been made using extremely strong materials of varying densities, and is orbiting a star, rotating on a axis between two corners (like spinning a d6). Due ...
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Why bother with planetary battlefields?
Context
In a lot of sci-fi, you see planets marred with battlegrounds, where species fight for dominance over x or y. This question kind of addresses those kinds of battlefields, but for a different ...
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How would weather on a Cube-World with uniform surface gravity behave?
In a cube-world with uniform surface gravity with mildly rounded corners, how would weather behave? The Cube-world is roughly earth-sized, with the edges rounded by about a hundred kilometers. Gravity ...
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Is a desert planet with a small habitable area possible?
My world takes place on a desert planet, but there is a small habitable forest with water and life. My main inspiration for this is Halem'no from star trek, but without a weather tower sustaining the ...
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Could alien species with blood based on different elements eat the same food?
In my Science Fantasy galaxy, I have several humanoid alien species with blood based on different elements, including iron (essentially human blood), copper (like Vulcans from Star Trek with green ...
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What is a fool proof future-world CAPTCHA test, given that AI can bypass current-day CAPTCHA's? [closed]
We are getting to the point today where AI could solve all current CAPTCHA tests, such that if someone were accessing data remotely there is no way the website would know if it is a real human, or an ...
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Could we control our personal reality
In my story one of my characters suffers from delusions of grandeur that he is or will become God. The reason he believes this is because of how his brain works. This character was born with a NEW ...
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Methods of determining if an AI takeover on a planet has happened? [closed]
So, in my plot a Galactic Inspector incognito visits a planet (series of planets) with the mission to determine if an AI takeover has already happened there. If the planet is controlled by AI, the ...
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How do we tell if we're living in a virtual reality world?
Since I haven't found anything like this yet. I was reading a novel and it talked about how some people created a 'Artificial Virtual Reality World' where the denizens were Human Artificial ...
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What are some plausible means for increasing the atmospheric pressure on a post-apocalyptic earth?
I want my post-apocalyptic science-fantasy setting to be at least plausible enough for people to suspend their disbelief comfortably, rather than having to ignore obvious physical fallacies. I want ...
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How many Consciousnesses could exist in a Matrioshka brain built around an O class star [closed]
(Note I am both autistic and new to this platform, I might not word or ask questions well and I might make questions confusing so if I do something wrong please tell me how to fix it)
So a ...
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Can a Tidally-Breathing Animal Possess a Syrinx?
I have been imagining/designing a reptile-like animal that breathes tidally, but possesses a syrinx for complex vocalization. Is this biomechanically possible, or is unidirectional breathing a ...
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Why are worldships not shaped like worlds?
For the purposes of this question, let's say that a "worldship" is a starship (constructed by a civilization in the process of moving from K2 to K3, in my case) that is so large that it ...
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Containing a Black Hole's End-Of-Life
Let's set the scene. Some advanced civilisation has taken to creating artificial Black Holes and using them as commonplace batteries - without the intention of refueling them. They simply hollow out ...
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In this universe with these technologies would HUMAN infantry still be useful for the military?
In my previous question about galactic empires the subject of human infantry was not the main focus so it was not discussed properly.
And so I think it needs to be covered as I'm really trying to ...
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Future City-Sized Graduate Sorting Process [closed]
My story is set in the future where more pressure is set on learning, and schools grow to the size of cities (and for all intents and purposes they are). Each mega campus has everything a city would ...
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Alternatives to A.I. for military robots? [closed]
In my setting, a hyperintelligent AI has decided to use its intelligence to stop all AI from harming a living thing. But militaries around colonized space still want robots to assist their human ...
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