For questions about the creation, use, and application of all types of technology.
4
votes
4answers
91 views
Applications of Electromagnetism in “Force Fields”
Lengthy Explanation of Why I'm Here:
TLDR; "force field" made of electromagnetic radiation.
Recently, I've decided to compile a list of possible technologies available in the 22nd and 23rd centuries,...
27
votes
10answers
6k views
What can I do to make my son's snowman survive, using medieval technology?
What my son likes the most with winter is making a snowman.
What my son hates the most with winter is melting of his snowman.
I really would like to make him happy and make the snowman survive for ...
2
votes
1answer
85 views
Help designing which metals are associated with specific magical powers in my magic system [on hold]
In my world, one of the magic systems involves people crushing special objects in their gauntlets to gain the dormant energy that exists within them. Essentially, imagine there are certain energy in ...
3
votes
4answers
585 views
What purposes could a technological ruin with a half-mile sphere full of water have served? [on hold]
There is a soft sci-fi RPG called Numenera, set on the Earth a billion years in the future, where multiple technologically-advanced civilizations have risen and fallen, and a new human civilization is ...
1
vote
3answers
177 views
Minimum required technology for a species to reach space?
Ok so first of all, let's imagine a civilisation on a planet. The planet has a relatively low escape velocity, say 6 km/s and maybe an atmosphere 30% - 50% the thickness of earth's atmosphere.
Now ...
13
votes
6answers
3k views
How can I dissolve metal hinges safely?
So, I've wound up in jail again (not my fault - I didn't start that fire, honest!) and I need to get out of here before the mayor has a chance to check his safe. Unfortunately, I left my lockpicks in ...
3
votes
3answers
114 views
Feasibility of Digital Zombies [closed]
In an Earth that has long since reached the Singularity, the point at which human life can be uploaded into a digital simulation, and that most humans live inside this simulated world, outside is a ...
12
votes
23answers
5k views
What are some ways stop magicians from using magic without resorting to the old 'special anti-magic metal' cliche?
In my world, the magic-users have to open small, thin 'holes' in reality to tap into the power from the Realm they are tapping into. As a result, said tears in reality must stay open for them to use ...
1
vote
2answers
316 views
How to combat magic as science?
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
– ...
0
votes
1answer
62 views
Formulating likelyhood for civilization to face weapons-based self-destruction [closed]
Premise
I would like to create a formula that tackles the question of how likely a civilization is to commit self-annihilation. At first glance it doesn't sound possible or practical for that matter. ...
9
votes
5answers
228 views
How would it be possible to fly with Talaria (winged sandals)?
The talaria is the name of the winged sandals or shoes famously worn by Hermes in Greek Mythology. If someone were to make a high tech gadget which the attached beating wings to a pair of boots, how ...
1
vote
1answer
127 views
How can I slow technological advancement? [closed]
The Scenario
I am the last survivor of a race of technologically advanced humanoids.
My civilization annihilated itself and devastated our home planet.
My Capabilities
I have sole (obviously) ...
4
votes
2answers
164 views
Are folding Xiphoi practical?
I have a character that fights with a pair of xiphoi (double-edged, one-handed shortswords used by the ancient Greeks). These swords are stored in thick nylon sheaths around the character's forearms, ...
2
votes
2answers
65 views
Can magnetism be used to transport small scale vehicles across Mars
I was imagining taking advantage of the large amount of iron within the dust and rocks of Mars, allowing for magnetic engines of some kind propelling vehicles forward. Is this possible at all? What ...
1
vote
0answers
65 views
Weapons for a tabletop game [closed]
I'm making a race for a table top game with high tech weapons. What's a weapon that would shoot through people that isn't just a high powered cannon? Didn't have to be functional today because this is ...
21
votes
20answers
5k views
Moving between levels in a gigantic tower-world?
In my sci-fi setting, people live in a gigantic metallic tower. For the sake of simplicity, let's say that each floor, or level, is a circle of around 200 km radius.
Levels can be either empty, full ...
3
votes
3answers
226 views
Help balancing my six-sided magic system?
I'm basically looking for advice on how to balance the magic system I'm designing for my novel.
Basically, the way it works is this:
There are six known Realms beyond this one where almost magic ...
13
votes
31answers
6k views
What is a good excuse for why an early 1900's-like fantasy world has not yet invented rifles / guns of any sort?
I am writing a book where the world is split into multiple kingdoms, with each kingdom using a similar magic system to the rest, but using different powers. IE one can control the elements, another ...
4
votes
1answer
155 views
How could a stone age tribe of merfolk tame blue whales?
An underwater stone age tribe of merfolk captured 2 baby whales and killed the adult beast for meat. My sea people would like to tame the young whales and use them as transport when the babies reach ...
1
vote
11answers
333 views
Why might a planet or solar system go undetected until discovered by a ship?
I have a scientific research vessel that is exploring an alien galaxy.
I would like this vessel to detect and then explore a planet that was not previously known about, which means it (or potentially ...
46
votes
26answers
12k views
If a large space ship crashes on a planet, what could kill passengers without obliterating the ship?
The situation I'm considering is as follows:
A large research vessel with a crew of about 100-200 attempts to land on a potentially habitable planet, but something goes wrong during the descent. A ...
0
votes
2answers
102 views
Could this work as an epidemic?
Essentially, I have a virus which temporarily turns people into psychopaths. This virus is being used by my antagonists to collapse a city.
I will be using a lysogenic virus which is triggered by ...
6
votes
3answers
364 views
The practicality of Wild Dog's arm-mounted gatling gun
In the Time Crisis series of games, terrorist-for-hire and recurring antagonist, Wild Dog has a cannon mounted in place of his missing left arm. Throughout the series, this weapon takes various ...
1
vote
3answers
102 views
Functional mechanical wings allowing to fly and to go underwater?
In my world, there is a race of small humanoids (average : 1.3m for 40kg) living on cliffs, they have designed mechanical wings that can make them fly or that can fold, and turn around their body ...
8
votes
5answers
1k views
How could an alien mine exist under a planet's surface without humans detecting it from above?
Imagine a human observation and research facility being built on a planet in a distant solar system.
How could an alien colony exist beneath the planet's surface, staying completely invisible to ...
49
votes
20answers
10k views
Could an advanced alien race prevent the death of the universe?
We all know that the universe is going to die one day: all the stars will die, all the black holes will evaporate and life will be gone. But hypothetically speaking, if a super advanced alien race (...
0
votes
2answers
55 views
Complete Biosphere DNA Collection [closed]
So you have just come across a new life bearing planet with organisms with Earth-like biology. You want to accomplish a complete biosphere analysis (sample collection) in a timely manner. How would ...
41
votes
4answers
8k views
Is it possible to create a Gas Mask using only Medieval Technology?
This question was inspired by this one, which brought up the concept that a lot of the issues with a sword that created toxic fumes would also kill the user (that question also has one of the best ...
6
votes
6answers
301 views
Would lower gravity lead to earlier spaceflight?
This is in regards to the Tyranny of Rocket Fuel. Summed up: Heavier ships need more fuel which makes them heavier, etc. You end up with diminishing returns. This is compounded by higher gravity - ...
3
votes
3answers
181 views
Supersonic submarine: what replaces sonar?
Premise
Despite the streamlined appearance of submarines, it is actually difficult/expensive for them to travel at high speeds. Much of this cost comes from the drag that is induced by the speed ...
1
vote
1answer
90 views
How to disable all long range communications planet wide?
I'm wondering about ways to effectively disable all long range communications planet wide. I've looked into nuclear/emp for disabling sats, but what about other forms of long range comms? Doesn't have ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Space station around the equator
I want to know what kind of effect a large circular space station would have on the planet if it went completely around the equator in one giant circle? Would it impact gravity or anything? And would ...
3
votes
5answers
121 views
Plausible scenario for the invention of telescopes and/or cameras in antiquity?
Inspired by a previous revision of one of the articles on the Kerbal Space Program wiki:
How would one plausibly have telescopes and/or cameras be present on an inhabited, civilised planet since ...
-4
votes
1answer
197 views
How to make sure a healing factor character can be rescued? [closed]
So, I have this superhero, and his name is, Logan Wotowski. He has the ability to heal from any injury, like a gunshot wound, knife blow, or paper cut. But, he only has that one ability. He is ...
16
votes
3answers
4k views
Is it possible to detect a flying creature hiding inside a cloud with our current technology?
In my story, flying creatures rule the sky. These creatures are usually tiny like an eagle or a vulture compared to huge (cumulus/cumulonimbus) clouds and these creatures always hunt and hide as ...
4
votes
7answers
2k views
How to explain why the slavers don’t rule Den, despite their technological superiority? [closed]
So, out in Den, Colorado, population 2,600, the local abandoned prison had just been taken over by the Slavers Guild. The Slavers Guild has a huge advantage, technologically, over most other natives ...
9
votes
7answers
865 views
How to connect rivers with canals in Europe with late medieval technology?
There is an empire expanding from the Netherlands to Western Russia, the empire is enthusiatic about turning rivers into canals for transportation.
They don't care about the environment, they just ...
46
votes
9answers
7k views
Could a mouth-mounted gun be fired without damage to the shooter?
The world where the question spans over a 100 years between 1945 and 2045, the story beginning just at the end of WWII, and proceeding in such a way that never saw the end of the Cold War all the way ...
13
votes
13answers
4k views
Can there be a long-range railway system without industrialisation?
Consider a civilization with pre-industrial, possibly even pre-gunpowder technology, but the economic incentive to have continent-spanning railway tracks. Would it be possible for them to build those ...
-2
votes
2answers
106 views
Creating a medieval fireball thrower weapon? [closed]
I want to create a medium-distance personal weapon that hurls fireballs with medieval technology for light infantry against heavy infantry. It needs to be similar like a crossbow. Is it possible to ...
0
votes
8answers
295 views
How to make someone who is capable of telepathically altering matter not overpowered?
Someone has developed a device that is capable of altering matter up to 100 meters away, only using thoughts. This is very powerful since someone with this device would be capable to, for example, ...
-1
votes
3answers
65 views
How could an android plausibly convince people that his audio recorder isn’t witchcraft? [closed]
So, an android, called X7, survived the apocalypse which nuked most humans, along with advanced technology, away. X7 wanders the wasteland, with one, and only one possession. An audio tape of the ...
9
votes
3answers
200 views
How does super-tech rarely filter down to Main Street in comics universes?
In the DC and Marvel universes, alien invasions seem to happen almost weekly, super-villains have impossible technology, which they use to rob banks, and genius super-heroes invent equally impossible ...
72
votes
24answers
15k views
How would primitive peoples detect radiation?
In an environment in which acute radiation hazards are common what tools or techniques could be employed by primitive people to detect and thereby avoid radiation exposure?
These people do not ...
7
votes
5answers
2k views
How the world would change if matter replicator technology become possible?Would all goods and services become free? [closed]
How cities and the world would change if matter replicators become reality someday?Will money disappear and all goods and services become free?Would create new products become very easy even if they ...
1
vote
5answers
161 views
What mechanism could be used to create an eternal night?
My question is how a species, given sufficiently advanced technology - could block out all - or most - visible light to a generally earthlike planet without rendering it uninhabitable.
The only ...
-3
votes
3answers
107 views
Preventing dumb self-replicating machines to take over the humanity and potential case for the Fermi paradox [duplicate]
It could be that the solution to the Fermi paradox is that civilizations of biological creatures are typically destroyed due to being taken over by machines that are much dumber than the original ...
6
votes
8answers
451 views
How much technological regression is plausible?
I'm working on a post-apocalyptic world for a game and the more I think about it the more unsure I get about the technological development of the setting being believable.
So I'm asking how likely a ...
1
vote
3answers
126 views
How would an underground civilization that mines deal with mine tailings?
This is based on the Silo by Hugh Howey. I don't have any spoilers here though. In that book (actually a collection of 5 novels), the characters live in an underground city, and some of them mine for ...
6
votes
2answers
668 views
Is this reaction realistic enough?
I'm building a world which has, apart from the 'usual' stuff, 2 types of stones (haven't really decided on a name yet).
Stone A holds some form of energy but when prompted by Stone B it will release ...
