Questions tagged [technology]
For questions about the creation, use, and application of all types of technology.
16
votes
6answers
3k views
Is it possible for underground bunkers on different continents to be connected?
In a scenario I'm thinking of, the Earth has been nuked bare and a few remnants of humanity are surviving in their underground bunkers. Let's say there is one in North America, one in Central American,...
25
votes
27answers
8k views
Is it possible to have battery technology that can't be duplicated?
I'm creating a near future world where one faction is using high energy density batteries that enable their vehicles to outperform gasoline based technology. Like cold and silent aircraft and ...
6
votes
1answer
82 views
Could a split cycle intercooled flamelicker have been a viable power source?
Flame lickers work by sucking hot air into a cylinder and then relying on the cooling of the air by the cylinder wall to create a partial vacuum to pull the piston back.
see video
In an alternate ...
12
votes
9answers
3k views
Medieval flying castle propulsion
One day, on the faraway world of not-medieval-Europe, someone discovered that a type of stone could be made to float. A decade or two later, there are flying castles, built out of and/or on a ...
3
votes
2answers
112 views
Handmade metallic cartridges [closed]
Could a group of survivors resupply metallic cartridges with hand-operated tools to be used on small arms in their shelter? What would those tools be and how usable are these handmade cartridges? ...
3
votes
2answers
127 views
Humans meet a distant alien species. How do they coordinate? - Computers [closed]
Part of a series addressing the challenges of a mutual first contact. Previous question here
Humans meet some distant alien species. They are mutual first contacts. After learning the languages of ...
7
votes
1answer
169 views
How much energy can I produce per kg of hydrogen using this process?
In the far future the posthuman successors of mankind have disassembled the stars and live on ultra slow and ultra efficient solar system sized computers, Matrioshka Brains. The last enemy of ...
5
votes
7answers
396 views
Feasibility of extraterrestrial metals?
In a sci-fi universe where man has the capability to leave our solar system would metals or alloys above and beyond our own be possible? Or at least within the bounds of reasonable possibility? As the ...
1
vote
1answer
73 views
A society built an airship. What else? [closed]
A steampunk society managed to develop functioning airships filled with helium, powered by a steam engine. They mine this helium from an underground reservoir along with other natural gas.
What else ...
1
vote
0answers
49 views
What would be day to day life like, for people during a renaissance like period in a world I'm building [closed]
Like I said, what would people eat, what would they drink, how'd they spend their time. I realise this isn't really a hypothetical question, rather a question that requires some information from an ...
3
votes
3answers
304 views
Ballistics of a 19.25mm revolver
A lead off from my last question, the actual ballistics of the round. I've learned from the last question and ran some numbers and come up with a basic idea for the ballistics of the revolver.
Lead ...
25
votes
7answers
7k views
Could a 19.25mm revolver actually exist?
I'm working on writing a story wherein there is a revolver inspired by Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy's samaritan. My question is; can such a gun, as described below, work? Or would it be a bone breaker ...
5
votes
5answers
340 views
Making the God-Hand Make Sense
In my world an advanced alien civilization are worshiped as gods by the human population. As the gods have better things to do than actually spend time interacting with the local fauna they created a ...
29
votes
8answers
6k views
Is my plasma cannon concept viable?
I’ve developed a concept for a plasma cannon, and I need it reality-checked.
The cannon would gather ammunition by pumping air into the gun through an external fan. The air would gather inside a ...
5
votes
8answers
2k views
How can I minimize the damage of an unstable nuclear reactor to the surrounding area?
Gods in this universe inhabit a higher plane of existence. Their spirits inhabit large, humanoid forms upwards of 30ft, and watch over humanity by protecting it from outside threats. On occasion, a ...
1
vote
3answers
193 views
Real-time planned economy with feedback
What about a society that would function the following way:
Someone creates an idea of a product or service and posts it on a special site in the Internet.
People vote for the idea indicating amounts ...
6
votes
4answers
916 views
Would it be possible to set up a franchise in the ancient world?
The night queen has invaded the northernmost part of easteros with an army of ice wightwalkers. They have surrounded a castle called summerfall, trapping our heroes inside. Various armies of different ...
26
votes
7answers
3k views
What city and town structures are important in a low fantasy medieval world?
I've been working on a procedural map generator that draws cities and towns on continents and islands and I've gotten to the point where I'd like to add lists of structures to the settlements.
I know ...
-6
votes
1answer
106 views
Bolt-action rifle in the 15th-17th century [duplicate]
Lets say a nation around this timeline was making research and advancements in firearms. Other than a flintlock or breech-loader, is it possible for them to produce a repeating bolt-action rifle? ...
9
votes
6answers
450 views
Could we build a massive “Ark” type space station with current technology?
Armageddon is coming. A giant Texas-sized meteorite on a collision course with planet Earth is discovered in 2020. It will hit Earth in 2030 and will wipe out 90% of living things including humanity. ...
13
votes
4answers
2k views
With today's technology, could iron be smelted at La Rinconada?
La Rinconada, Peru is notable because it has an effective oxygen concentration of only 11%, leading to the need for special techniques just to keep a fire going, and preventing the use of combustion-...
0
votes
0answers
47 views
Could a steamship be built somewhere during the 14th-17th century? [duplicate]
Could an earlier and simple variation of the steamship be built around the 14th-17th century? If not, are there alternatives to having a ship not powered by sails?
-1
votes
2answers
92 views
Would a medieval-type castle still arise in an alternate history? [closed]
So, to set the background a bit. I'm writing a story that is an alternate history basically diverging midway through the 1st century BC: the roman empire falls. Here I am looking at a Germanic people ...
2
votes
1answer
216 views
Highest level of 1930's Technology possible [closed]
Backstory
I have a character who goes back in time to plant an idea in the minds of government scientists during the 1930's. The idea is to analyze a DNA sample and recreate it for future use in the ...
0
votes
3answers
175 views
Can magic and technology coexist? [closed]
Some background
The world I am working with contains 5 (and a half) realms, two of which are more like reality, one realm with magic, one without.
The realm without magic is presented as the world ...
13
votes
5answers
3k views
What is the minimum required technology to reanimate someone who has been cryogenically frozen?
As part of the story I am writing, an individual is reanimated with relatively crude cryogenic technology. Given the constraints of biology, what would this entail in terms of real/current (or ...
2
votes
0answers
110 views
Is it possible for industrial revolution to happen without colonialism? [closed]
As we all know, with Christopher Columbus re-"discovering" America in 1492, the wondrous Age of Discovery began - and with it new dreams of conquest and wealth, that became realized in the way of ...
5
votes
3answers
149 views
Would a life form with the intelligence of a human but without an appendage for manipulating its environment be able to have advanced technology?
On another planet there is a life form that has the same level of intelligence as humans on Earth, but it has no appendage to manipulate its environment. It has similar social structures to humans ...
24
votes
13answers
8k views
Can there be a single technologically advanced nation, in a continent full of non-technologically advanced nations?
The run down here is that there's this continent, and there is a lot of unclaimed land where countries haven't formed yet and a lot of tribes but there are some actual countries like kingdoms, (where ...
1
vote
0answers
57 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 ...
1
vote
3answers
207 views
Could a percussion rifle be produced in the 15th-17th century?
Could a percussion rifle such as the springfield m1861 be made somewhere between the 15th-17th century? If so how would it be made?
6
votes
3answers
237 views
What would a car look like for an animal with eyes on the side of their heads?
Imagine an animal like a cow in regards to eye positioning; they can look forward to lessen their frontal blindspot a bit but assume that doing that for a prolonged amount of time is straining.
What ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
Is a self contained air-bullet cartridge feasible?
In my world, there is no access to modern or traditional gunpowder. I was wondering if a dedicated technician with a modern shop (cnc machines, and a surplus of parts and raw material, etc) would be ...
6
votes
3answers
260 views
Most effective melee weapons for arboreal combat? (pre-gunpowder technology)
The creatures I am working with are primate-like, hexapodal aliens with a terrestrial/ arboreal lifestyle. On flat land they are able to walk bipedally, freeing up their top 4 arms for manipulating ...
3
votes
2answers
123 views
Flywheels for high altitude airship control
Airships in RL are not very great in combat for various reasons. However in my setting there is Unobtanium that is repelled by gravity, instead of being attracted. A lump of Unobtanium can be used ...
4
votes
1answer
136 views
Can Roman-age tech break up harder metals?
This question is a follow up to my last one about silver
So silver and presumably all metals of lower and equal hardness can be broken down with muscle and stone tools, by forming droplets, using ...
4
votes
2answers
147 views
Atmospheric pressure engine train in the 15th-16th century
With the knowledge and tools required, could an atmospheric pressure engine train be built in the 15th-16th century? If so how effective would it be and what change would it bring to the world in that ...
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 ...
-12
votes
1answer
171 views
Epic laser shark! do do do do do [closed]
idea
Sharks with lasers that blast through the ocean!
Yeah! Could it work though?
I am looking for some weapons to place on my sharks with fixed weapons on their heads. How feasible is it to ...
7
votes
5answers
366 views
Modification to Chariots for Heavy Cavalry Analogue for 4-armed race
I have a 4-armed race in my world that is the predominant species of a country. [ Country A] This race is also too heavy to ride horses as cavalry. A major enemy of this country is a human race that ...
3
votes
5answers
1k views
Could an aircraft fly or hover using only jets of compressed air?
In a world with practically unlimited energy and advanced technology they have no need to burn fuels for energy or even use fire. To travel around their huge planet cities they use aircraft and hover ...
9
votes
7answers
2k views
Is it logically or scientifically possible to artificially send energy to the body?
Is it possible to use a power plant-like machine to create small amounts of electrical (or other) energy directly inside the human body, making it such that the human has energy for activity without ...
30
votes
17answers
7k views
How could indestructible materials be used in power generation?
Background:
In this scenario assume technology is initially equal to our own, but a method is discovered to render material indestructible. The affected material is treated as requiring infinite or ...
4
votes
3answers
228 views
need help building a convincing Airship steam engine room [closed]
Building a world with airships that are powered by steam engines. Big boiler, water tank, lots of coal. Enormous engine room. Propellers, masts with huge sails. There are steam-powered automatons in ...
5
votes
4answers
361 views
How long would a stoplight work after the apocalypse?
The apocalypse has come! Everything is dead, and I do mean everything. People. Animals. Plants. Don't ask how, I'm not entirely sure.
Let's assume this town is in an out-of-the way area as far as ...
4
votes
3answers
202 views
How to have a robotic whip move effectively?
I recently read The Prefect (now named Aurora Rising) by Alistair Reynolds. The book is about a police force protecting a belt of space stations. The local democratic regime has mostly disarmed the ...
-4
votes
2answers
168 views
Killing TV Presenters by Audience Consensus - Diss Topia
In a dystopian world (Diss Topia) of the future, being a TV presenter is a hazardous job.
All viewers have the ability to vote to save or kill a given presenter while they are on air (more ...
-4
votes
12answers
395 views
A properly malfunctioning gun [closed]
A friend of mine wrote me: "I have designed a rifle that cannot be used for a terrorist attack. It fails to shoot in the instance of it. Other than that it is a good gun. In fact it is the best and a ...
0
votes
3answers
152 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 ...
-4
votes
5answers
262 views
In a world without software how would Hacking work?
A definition of computer hacking.
Computer hacking refers to the practice of modifying or altering computer software and hardware to accomplish a goal that is considered to be outside of the ...
