Sci Fi Science

[bdewoody]

Have any of you watched this program on the Science Channel. It is hosted by Michio Kaku taking us through a half hour of a thought experiment to see if some of the wonders in sci-fi could come true. To date I have seen the episode on warp drives and a death star planet killer. Of course in both cases the stopper is the energy required to achieve the goal.

 

[docm]

Also check out the documentaries The Science of Star Trek and How William Shatner Changed The World....

 

[rocketmonkey]

I've watched all the episodes so far. Its a good show.

 

[weeman]

I've seen the episodes where Dr. Kaku talks about teleportation and traveling to parallel universes. His ideas are out there, but I enjoy seeing a physicist bring theoretical physics to main-stream popularity

 

[a_lost_packet_]

I watched a few portions of the shows over a few days. Entertaining, in some aspects. But, what struck me was the "science fiction" element. Sure, some of the ideas have roots that are firmly ground in science. But, some of them are far off the mark. The two episodes I watched ended with him simply making up a science-fiction device that, at its core, required complete science-fiction in order to work. I wasn't particularly impressed. It seemed more appropriate to perhaps a young audience than anything else.

I like Kaku but, I'm not a huge fan when he get to be the main focus of a show. It always seems he goes off a deep end in his efforts to popularize science and physics. If you're going to present a topic of Science in Science Fiction and then try to make something work that obeys known science, it'd be a good idea not to rely on science-fiction to solve uncomfortable problems with the end result.

 

[rocketmonkey]

I just saw the episode of the lightsaber and I think that the design can work if you aren't cutting through the syramic (I probably spelled that wrong) material that the blade is made of. And there has to be isulation so your hand isn't burned, but thats an easy fix, considering that it will be able to make in fifty years. I would personally use it only for survival, but in future warfare it will be good too. :twisted: :mrgreen:

 

[MeteorWayne]

Well, it's really not a light sabre if it's made of ceramic, now, is it?

 

[bdewoody]

I find this series less and less interesting with each episode. Every solution seems to have one major flaw. Mountains of energy that nobody has a clue as to how to generate or contain. What good is a light sabre ceramic or not when it has to be pugged into a major nuclear powerplant?

 

[yevaud]

What good is a light sabre ceramic or not when it has to be pugged into a major nuclear powerplant?

"I will defeat you, young Skywalker, and...crap. Extension cord unplugged..."

(Sound of a person being cut in two)

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Well, it's really not a light sabre if it's made of ceramic, now, is it?

 

[rocketmonkey]

The way it works is:

1. Take in air through a super fast fan in the bottom to change into plasma

2. Powered by carbon nanotube batteries, enough so it could last long without changing batteries

3. Ceramic extention that has the highest melting point of anything known to man

4. Send out plasma into the ceramic extention

5. Extention has specially designed gas to stop plasma lasers

6. Magnetic fields keep plasma in check

7. Isulate the handle

The amount of carbon nanotubes won't be a problem because they can be grown at alarming rates.

If you haven't seen the design already check out youtube.com/watch?v=6G8VztSWnVo

 

[bdewoody]

The way it works is:

1. Take in air through a super fast fan in the bottom to change into plasma

2. Powered by carbon nanotube batteries, enough so it could last long without changing batteries

3. Ceramic extention that has the highest melting point of anything known to man

4. Send out plasma into the ceramic extention

5. Extention has specially designed gas to stop plasma lasers

6. Magnetic fields keep plasma in check

7. Isulate the handle

The amount of carbon nanotubes won't be a problem because they can be grown at alarming rates.

If you haven't seen the design already check out youtube.com/watch?v=6G8VztSWnVo

You take this thing and I'll take a M-16 at ten paces. Who's gonna win?

 

[1of6Billion]

The way it works is:

1. Take in air through a super fast fan in the bottom to change into plasma

2. Powered by carbon nanotube batteries, enough so it could last long without changing batteries

3. Ceramic extention that has the highest melting point of anything known to man

4. Send out plasma into the ceramic extention

5. Extention has specially designed gas to stop plasma lasers

6. Magnetic fields keep plasma in check

7. Isulate the handle

The amount of carbon nanotubes won't be a problem because they can be grown at alarming rates.

If you haven't seen the design already check out youtube.com/watch?v=6G8VztSWnVo

You take this thing and I'll take a M-16 at ten paces. Who's gonna win?

Will there be Jedi skills involved?

 

[rocketmonkey]

Didn't I say I would only use it for war in the future? Actually I highly doubt it could be used for war even in the future unless we use lightsabers for it. I would use it as a survival tool. Makes fire, cuts things, kills things. Now all I would need is a survival pistol for hunting long range.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Will there be Jedi skills involved?

Not for long!

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

I'll opine that a variable sword is more feasible than a light saber and serves the same purpose.

 

[a_lost_packet_]

I'll opine that a variable sword is more feasible than a light saber and serves the same purpose.

Is that the same as a "molecular knife" or a sword that is composed of a blade one atom in diameter? (Sci-Fi weapons)

A sword made from properly arranged nanotubes might do the trick. The pommel holds the nanotubes and the powersource. When activated, a field is generated and the tubes spring to life, arranging appropriately (end-to-end/whatever) and comprising the blade. The blade is strengthened by a electromagnetic field holding the now highly charged nanotubes in place. The raw power required to make a sturdy blade spring to life may also ionize surrounding air or vaporize it, maybe making it glow or even a giving it a characteristic "hum." A nano-sword.

Luckily for Luke, his mom wasn't around to tell him "NO! You'll put your eye out!" when he first came home with his new lightsaber..

 

[bdewoody]

I'll opine that a variable sword is more feasible than a light saber and serves the same purpose.

Is that the same as a "molecular knife" or a sword that is composed of a blade one atom in diameter? (Sci-Fi weapons)

A sword made from properly arranged nanotubes might do the trick. The pommel holds the nanotubes and the powersource. When activated, a field is generated and the tubes spring to life, arranging appropriately (end-to-end/whatever) and comprising the blade. The blade is strengthened by a electromagnetic field holding the now highly charged nanotubes in place. The raw power required to make a sturdy blade spring to life may also ionize surrounding air or vaporize it, maybe making it glow or even a giving it a characteristic "hum." A nano-sword.

Luckily for Luke, his mom wasn't around to tell him "NO! You'll put your eye out!" when he first came home with his new lightsaber..

As I recall by the time he got home with his new toy his Aunt and Uncle were toast. Being a close friend or relative to a Skywalker was bad for your health in those movies.