All Questions
Tagged with engineering internal-consistency
90 questions
8
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How to recreate a "land" harp that can work in the deep sea?
Once again, I am asking questions based on my as of yet defined highly-evolved, human-derived "merfolk". But this time, I'm going towards deeper waters-- let's say about 5000 meters below ...
- 481
1
vote
0
answers
224
views
Non absurd way to lay a cable over light years of distance [closed]
This isn't entirely hard science but bear with me.
(Prologue) In the near future, a series of increasing heavy elements are synthesized building on the theory of islands of stability, incredibly ...
26
votes
13
answers
8k
views
How difficult would it be to reverse engineer a device whose function is based on unknown physics?
Premise - A technological device of unknown origin is found by modern day humans. by messing with its controls, it's discovered that its function appears to create some kind of anomaly such as a ...
- 617
7
votes
6
answers
499
views
My Tripod Machines Have Flexible Legs like a Squid - - How do They Work?
In my world, a race of intelligent cephalopods have created mecha similar to the Fighting Machines from War of the Worlds (long story short; it makes sense for then as they evolved and continue to ...
- 5,053
7
votes
4
answers
658
views
Glowing Eye Lenses: Why are the Mooks parading their location?
In many a sci-fi, the villains (and sometimes the good guys) have glowing lenses attached to their gas masks to help both identify them and provide a useful target for the protagonists. The obvious ...
- 5,053
2
votes
2
answers
394
views
Would a gun that shoots subsonic depleted uranium/tungsten bullets require a muzzle booster for cycling reliability?
In the near-future story i'm developing the main character resorts to every trick in the book to improve the performance of her guns, including using subsonic cartridges for the sake of quietness, but ...
- 1,319
7
votes
3
answers
2k
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Are Mass Effect "style" guns possible?
In Sci Fi, the majority of weapons come in the form of either some kind of energy beam/bolt, or as testosterone-dripping slug-throwers. In Mass Effect and the Aldreaverse utilize weapons that fire ...
- 5,053
4
votes
2
answers
190
views
Is a universal land and launch spacecraft theoretically possible?
Nearly every science fiction story features a craft which lands on a planet, allows egress to the surface, and then leaves the planet. Logistics is almost never a part of the story. In considering ...
- 8,209
3
votes
3
answers
322
views
Replacing heavy cranes with airships for alien city building? Pros/cons?
We are doing construction on an alien world with unbreathable air
This creates a very big problem for a growing city which needs to expand. Workers cannot go outside safely for long periods.
Goal: ...
- 8,209
2
votes
2
answers
150
views
Method of expanding a city in toxic environment
A city on an alien desert needs to expand, here is the method I feel should be cost-effective and cheap.
Use the image below for reference.
A square area is mapped out and leveled off for the ...
- 8,209
7
votes
6
answers
706
views
If a time traveler from the near future went back in time to kill Hitler and failed, could the nazis reverse engineer modern tech with 1940's tech?
Suppose someone went back in time to kill Hitler and fails and some modern tech falls into nazi hands. What modern technology could they realistically reverse engineer with 1940's tech?
I'm leaving ...
- 1,983
10
votes
10
answers
5k
views
Could extremely tall towers be held up by balloons so that they don't collapse under their own weight?
"Tower" may be a misleading word choice for what I have in mind. My approach to building vertical structures is a bit different, more on that later. There are two main issues that plague ...
- 10.8k
7
votes
1
answer
630
views
Can a hydraulic system also serve as a battery?
Hydraulics commonly use mineral oil or water to provide the pressure needed for mechanical movement, which is good but the liquid just sorta sits there not doing anything else. So I though “why not ...
- 10.8k
2
votes
4
answers
294
views
Mechanical-electric firearm ignition
For some time I've been thinking upon the concept of a firearm that uses a mechanical system to generate an electrical current for use in a electrically ignited firearm without the hassle of batteries....
- 5,053
10
votes
7
answers
4k
views
How efficient would pumping water uphill be using hydropower?
How efficient would hydropower be at pumping water upward? Waterwheels are the cornerstone of unmanned power and are basically gravity powered (solar too if you count the water cycle,) which is very ...
- 10.8k