All Questions
Tagged with engineering science-based
183 questions
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Running a motor on electricity derived from magical lightning?
In a setting that isn't particularly high magic but magic is commonplace enough to be something the average person has witnessed I am considering how someone researching technology might attempt to ...
- 624
10
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11
answers
1k
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Constraints on distributing power to spaceship systems
The problem of power management in a sci-fi spaceship for the purpose of powering various ship systems is commonly represented in TV shows like Star Trek and video games. Recently, I noticed an ...
- 567
0
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5
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206
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Most efficient human-powered vehicles? [closed]
I have in mind a system making use of humans as power sources, but I am not sure what the best way to use them is (I am aware, this will be very slow and impractical). To make it move, we have to turn ...
- 2,938
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8
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2k
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Ultra long distance oceanic travel
Many times, other people and I have thought of settings involving very large or infinite Earths- ringworlds, alderson discs, or simply an infinite flat plane. The task of traveling millions of ...
- 1,051
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2
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220
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What computer and display technologies are most reliable and maintainable in a rugged space future? [closed]
It’s the distant future; humanity is scattered among the stars, far-flung, sparsely populated. It’s frontier living. Individuals and communities are often cut off from major industrial centers; access ...
- 159
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253
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Could sound be used to levitate or destroy objects in combat
I am working on a near future world where mages are really just people with a very good understanding of math and science, which they use to achieve feats that seem impossible to most of the ...
7
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4
answers
3k
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If a 'fire temple' was built in a gigantic city, with many huge perpetual flames inside, how could they keep smoke from bothering non-worshippers?
This temple I'm imagining is in a massive and fairly densely packed city. Technically all manner of magic is available and I could answer "they use a spell to get rid of the smoke" but I'm ...
- 135
3
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3
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181
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Land reclamation on a world with extreme tides
My narrative project is set on a gas giant's habitable moon. As there are multiple moons orbiting the gas giant I have recently calculated how powerful the tides on the habitable moon would be. The ...
- 1,444
7
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4
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338
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What is the best kind of nuclear reactor to use for a criticality accident if I want to expose my crew to a huge amount of radiation?
I've recently been making an attempt to write a short story that leans very heavily towards hard sci-fi. My area of expertise is primarily in biology and neurology, and the backbone of the story is ...
- 345
15
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5
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2k
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With modern technology would it be possible to build an HG Wells style Martian tripod?
With modern technology would it be possible to build an HG Wells style Martian tripod?
It should approximate to one of the HG Wells war of the worlds style tripods at roughly 30m high and have a “heat ...
- 38.8k
3
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5
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235
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Would things engineered to work on earth work ok in 1.25 times earth gravity? [closed]
A while ago I asked this question about if a planet 1/5th larger than earth could remain earth like. The top answers all seemed to agree that while the planet could be that much larger and still only ...
- 5,225
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8
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5k
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Could Mermaids Tear a Warship's Planking?
I had an idea for a story, where mermaids sabotage a ship during the age of sail. I wanted to ask for advice on it, and if it makes sense. Perspective would be especially helpful, since someone told ...
2
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4
answers
408
views
How viable are Airborne Aircraft Carriers on my alien world?
I have made a world that is a massive flat plane, with the surface gravity and atmospheric pressure of Titan, but a composition similar to Earth. There is one race, humans. Humans have a problem ...
- 113
3
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2
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156
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Is it possible to melt regolith from lunar orbit with an energy beam?
Is it possible to melt regolith from lunar orbit with an energy beam?
Suppose we wanted to create landing pads, building foundations, and roads on the moon that were relatively free of lunar regolith. ...
- 3,701
4
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6
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413
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How would you get a ship out of a gravity well?
Context
I'm helping a friend with a hard sci-fi story and we ran into an issue. In this setting the technology for absurdly powerful and efficient fusion drives which seem not to have heat managment ...
- 111