Questions tagged [technology]
For questions about the creation, use, and application of all types of technology.
2,402
questions
15
votes
7
answers
3k
views
What kind of tactical situation/s would be best approached with trained jetpack pilots?
I'm writing a story where there's a civil war fought by people with weapons and technology based on 50s experimentals, kind of like a subtle "What-if" aesthetic.
How can I manipulate what ...
7
votes
9
answers
4k
views
Can the princess escape using shoddy craftsmanship in a one-sided lock?
In my story, the princess escapes her prison through the window. The window has a lock on it, made by a legendary locksmith, that's said to be unpickable. But either due to the locksmith not being ...
- 487
2
votes
2
answers
113
views
Could this automaton be powered with low-tech means?
The automaton is a human-sized machine made primarily of wood, clay, cork, wax, and plant cord. It is designed to move around and use tools, and has roughly the same physical abilities as a human. It ...
- 14.8k
2
votes
3
answers
150
views
What are potential avenues in advanced materials/manufacturing for light, high-strength parts for portable cannons, firearms and ammo, and armor?
In my setting, there's a faction known as International Front that combines guerilla and para-militarism with advanced technology (for a guerilla group).
Their main goal is to fight and conquer the ...
- 195
9
votes
5
answers
2k
views
How feasibly could a post-apocalyptic society achieve aviation?
In my setting, I have created a technologically innovative faction which seeks to utilise various past technologies, namely, aircraft.
For context, the setting is a post apocalypse type setting ...
- 1,509
2
votes
1
answer
201
views
Don't give tech to the primitives for real [closed]
It's a common cliche for advanced cultures just giving tech to less advanced cultures always resulting in a bad outcome. Are there any real examples of this in human history that could be quoted in a ...
- 3,042
11
votes
8
answers
3k
views
What key invention allows the exploration of my hot humid world?
I want to know what key invention would allow my civilization to travel down to and explore its world at sea level. This is similar to my previous question* but this time does not assume metals are in ...
- 35.5k
9
votes
5
answers
2k
views
What are potential avenues for firearms and weapons technologies for a biotech-centric species?
In my setting, there is an alien world known as Totaria and an alien race known as the Totarians, who possess a special cell that lets them develop whatever organs, limbs, and creatures they want, ...
- 195
7
votes
1
answer
309
views
Support Equipment for a Time Machine
Okay, the time machine itself is science fiction. I've got some handwavium about transformation of Einsteinian equations and unconventional polarization of electromagnetic frequencies and so forth. ...
- 539
2
votes
3
answers
157
views
Is it possible for a metal like the Skarilium of my works to exist naturally while also being obtainable for humans in the near future?
In some of the universes featured in my works, a material known as Skarilium exists. This material is used by humanity, in a universe where we’ve successfully colonized the majority of Mars and are in ...
- 297
3
votes
9
answers
2k
views
Harvesting wind energy for vehicles
Theoretically, what would the possibilities/drawbacks be of harvesting wind energy created by the momentum of the vehicle to charge that vehicle's batteries?
Imagine that the vehicle had a dual power ...
- 150
4
votes
4
answers
500
views
Ubiquitous perception filters in 2030s
For my story plot to start it needs to exist a widespread technology that through a software update or patch can be (ab)used to filter out copyrighted material from perception. My idea was a neural ...
8
votes
9
answers
2k
views
What factors would contribute to a medieval era mechanical revolution?
In our real world we have been blessed with many mechanical inventions throughout the ages. Wind mills, water driven sawmills, rope and pulley systems, cranes, marvels in clockwork and gearing such as ...
- 535
-3
votes
1
answer
114
views
Energy itself as a form of currency [duplicate]
I have pondered a setting/society where people have access to advanced technology (for one example, food replicators), but either have to work to earn or trade to obtain the power needed to operate it....
- 2,507
12
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Mirrors used for focusing sunlight in outer space - could they be automatically oriented towards the sun using sun sail rudder, like windmill rudder?
To be most effective, a windmill must face into the wind. Some windmills achieve this with a passive yaw system, where the wind automatically adjusts the direction the windmill is facing, often with ...
- 3,412
2
votes
0
answers
127
views
How could an underwater society industrialize? [duplicate]
In my world, there is a species of underwater people. They are a mix of the creatures from Luca, and the creature from the Black Lagoon. At some point, when their technology progresses, they learn ...
- 2,565
9
votes
3
answers
779
views
Methane as a lifting gas for medieval airships
So, I've read a few posts on this community about medieval airships. What I have seen is so far that, how none of them mentioned about a lifting gas. Lifting gases are hard to get by.
Hydrogen and ...
- 2,964
1
vote
2
answers
141
views
What obvious technologies would this early 20th century analog have? [closed]
I have a city-state, bound to protect the evil, and the souls of the inhabitants are used to power that, and no one who enters the city can leave, so the outside world supplies it with food and ...
- 255
4
votes
11
answers
5k
views
I designed a Maglev space propulsion tube on Mt. Everest. Do you see any issues with it?
So, I designed a mass driver on Mt. Everest.
The mass driver is powered by "PERMANENT" magnet rings with a strength of 5 teslas each (the black lines in the tube). The mass driver then ...
- 2,964
15
votes
24
answers
8k
views
In a capitalist society where automation has made the value of human labour worthless. What would keep the rich from just killing off the poor? [closed]
Suppose, at some future date, AI has reached a point where it is better at every possible job than humans and has entirely replaced human labour in the marketplace (including in the military). In a ...
- 1,933
3
votes
1
answer
139
views
How small could we make a seed for a non-nanotech von Neumann machine?
Nanotech von Neumann machines can obviously be made quite small--bacteria are existence proofs!
But what if we don't want to rely on biology, or any any sort of magic nanotech?
At the other end of the ...
- 39.8k
4
votes
1
answer
237
views
What are the advantages and disadvantages an underwater civilization has over a terrestial one?
In my world, mankind isn't the only intelligent species around. Merfolk are present in all of the oceans. The Merfolks look like a cross between humans and dugongs. The Merfolk also have long hair ...
- 2,588
-5
votes
2
answers
143
views
What would cause males to develop sentience and females to Remain mindless? [closed]
Is it possible for a way for males to develop intelligence on par with computers and females to be mindless and only purpose is to reproduce ova for males similar to how male bees only purpose is to ...
- 189
0
votes
2
answers
137
views
What technology level could an avian species achieve? [closed]
Let's take the traditional image of a harpy from Greek mythology: A sapient creature with avian wings and talons with a humanoid head (and presumably, cranium capacity). This creature does not possess ...
- 161
-3
votes
2
answers
162
views
Will this "miraculous" change have a long-term effect on technology? [closed]
In a fictional world, the following changes suddenly happen to all humans (and future newborns) for no apparent reason:
Their temper becomes better.
They now enjoy socializing with each other more ...
-3
votes
2
answers
164
views
What biological functions robots will never be able to replicate no matter how advanced robotics become? [closed]
Well I have seen advances on soft robotics and robotics in general and many of these breakthroughts include biomimetism or bionics which is a subarea of robotics that attempt to create machines that ...
- 1,889
4
votes
1
answer
149
views
Would this floating colony on Saturn actually work? [closed]
I'm basically working on a concept for a floating colony on Saturn, like a cloud city.
Saturn is about 75% Hydrogen and 25% helium, so if a balloon with pure hydrogen were to be used, hypothetically, ...
- 2,964
3
votes
3
answers
156
views
How much attrition could human civilization survive? [closed]
The pandemic has demonstrated how even a small reduction in capacity can produce downstream disruptions in supply lines.
The standard model for an apocalypse is that mankind's population drops below a ...
- 11.8k
4
votes
1
answer
102
views
Need habitable barge/river boat - think British canal narrowboats but faster. Engine, build, real life inspiration ideas needed
So I have a boat which is meant for river travel, so built like a barge, flat hull etc but it's not just for cargo, think of one of those fancy modern British narrowboats with cosy furnishings etc. ...
- 41
2
votes
4
answers
157
views
Robot reproduction [closed]
For the planet(s) I'm working on I have designed a robot ecosystem, there are 'plants', 'herbivores', 'carnivores'. The only (major) problem I still have is how they could reproduce.
Here's how I ...
- 725
7
votes
7
answers
599
views
Why would airplanes become common when there is dragon-riding?
In my world, during their equivalent to the age of absolutism, dragon riding becomes very common. They can be too expensive to personally own, so they are mostly used in general warfare and ...
- 2,565
1
vote
2
answers
178
views
How could sapient dogs develop 17-century technology without having hands? [closed]
In my world, dog-like creatures gradually developed a 17-century civilization over time. It is believed that a now extinct species modified the dogs to have human-like intelligence. The dogs have ...
- 11
8
votes
5
answers
1k
views
How would electric weapons used by mermaids function, if feasible? [closed]
Electric eels are animals that eat by stunning their prey with electricity before eating them. The amperage and voltage isn't usually high enough to kill humans but it can still hurt them.
Assuming ...
11
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What kind of signals would penetrate the ground?
In my WIP, I have an astropalaeontologist who uses a special device to scan the underground for any macro-size, i.e., visible with a naked eye, fossil remains. This scanner is self-driving and carries ...
12
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Would it be possible to turn off a small country's internet from the outside? [closed]
Let's say a country is going through political turmoil because a big enough part of the population wants to split off from it and form their own national identity, and they succeed. Let's call the ...
- 121
-1
votes
1
answer
168
views
How would a shrink ray work without actually “shrinking” a living being? [closed]
I’m trying to create a “shrink ray” in a Star Wars-esque technological level world. Yet I don’t want it to be rubber Clarketech science. I want it to be almost like virtual; leaning towards shrinking ...
- 869
3
votes
1
answer
172
views
Where should I put a planetary propulsion system?
I want to add a planetary propulsion to Earth, to be able to move it at subluminal speeds.
I found this document , taken from What is the largest planet size that can be pushed out of orbit?. I want ...
- 313
3
votes
6
answers
354
views
How to properly mine an explosive ore
In my world, there is a dangerous ore that is very explosive if struck harshly, making picaxes useless. Despite this, the kingdoms want to mine it to clear room for construction, and use the substance ...
- 2,565
4
votes
3
answers
913
views
How quickly can a disembodied human brain space travel and be fine?
In my current worldbuilding project, humans travel through space by putting their brains into advanced, miniature vehicles that supply the brain with the bare-minimum chemicals, electricity, etc, and ...
- 79
9
votes
6
answers
1k
views
Energy in a food web of robots
I'm working on a planet with robotic life, until now I think I know how they work, the only problem is that, unless I want to make all lifeforms autotrophic, I have no idea how the energy might move ...
- 725
3
votes
3
answers
972
views
How plausible would a planet-sized theme park be? [closed]
In my scifi lore, there is a giant theme park built for larpers, cosplayers, and furries(not antromorphic animal species, but the people who dress up and like the style), their target audiences. The ...
- 2,565
3
votes
7
answers
480
views
How fast can technology be brought from 11th century to 21st century?
In my story, there is a man who has an incredible memory. He lives on Earth for the first seventy years of his life, during which time he can recall everything he reads. Through a complicated series ...
- 839
12
votes
10
answers
2k
views
Planetary Rule: How possible?
It is an established science-fiction trope, especially in something like Star Wars, that entire planets will be run by a single government. When trying to worldbuild, I began to think about how one ...
- 2,565
2
votes
1
answer
112
views
How would I classify groups of elements on the periodic table for a person building a factory on a feudal world
This person is dropped on a fantasy feudal world and is basically playing factorio with nanobots, but the challenge is that they don't have resources with which to build everything, hence negotiation ...
- 23
1
vote
3
answers
487
views
If linen armor is really that effective, why was it not used? [closed]
Looking into possible lines of development of armor in low-tech civilization, I came across this: https://jhupress.wordpress.com/2013/04/24/unraveling-the-linothorax-mystery-or-how-linen-armor-came-to-...
- 4,827
2
votes
1
answer
347
views
Could a quantum computer be integrated into a biological medium?
I'm working on an idea for an AI in a short story and have been circling around the idea of a biologically-integrated quantum computer — think, diamond qubits suspended in a biological medium (goop?) ...
- 23
7
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Stagnated renaissance era technology in a fantasy setting?
I am early in this design but am imagining a fictional world in the age of exploration including classic fantasy tropes of monsters and magic, with renaissance era technology, that is cannons, muskets,...
- 535
-2
votes
3
answers
138
views
What are the implications of gorilla anatomy on medieval warfare? [closed]
Let me know if I need to break this into smaller questions...my preference is to keep it as one.
I have a sentient species that has intelligence indistinguishable from humans, but with the body of a ...
- 792
26
votes
12
answers
4k
views
Best way to smell-proof a revolver in 1998?
My heroine, a wandering loner living a nomadic lifestyle traveling across 1998's western US in an RV, is a supernatural being, known as an immortal, with a great many useful powers. However, none of ...
- 7,681
2
votes
4
answers
149
views
Would it make sense to have an atlatl user in a world where archery is mainstream? [closed]
I'm writing a story is set in a Monster Hunter-like world where giant animals roam the landscape. Most of the main characters are archers, but I want to have one who is an atlatl (spear thrower) user ...
- 2,580