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Q&A

General Q&A about worldbuilding and other speculative developments that can be extrapolated from science.

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Is it possible to have lightning create complicated fulgurite geometry above ground on a magnetically active world?

Hanorane (han-or-a-ney) is a moon with a dynamic surface covered in charged sand particles that drift in massive rivers suspended by electrostatic levitation. The only solid ground is the worn an...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by Josh Belmont‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Josh Belmont‭

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How will people approach person beamed from a past?

Question inspired by movies Minority Report and Her The year is 2050, USA: The future is "realistically optimistic": We, the humans, have steady progress in computers and AI: We use wearable AI, w...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Pavel Janicek‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Pavel Janicek‭

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Maximum number of earth-like planets in a system

I am trying to build a planetary system with a maximum number of earth/near earth like planets/moons. What would the maximum number of possible earth like planets be? I am assuming that some woul...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by patton4014‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by patton4014‭

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What engines would an airborne vehicle use in a setting <200 years in the future?

In a setting <200 years in the future could airborne military vehicles(fighter-jets), mass-transportation vehicles (planes, buses etc.), and personal vehicles (cars, motorcycles) use something ...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Timo‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Timo‭

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Is it possible that any life on earth could evolve to live off a liquid which is not water?

Is it possible that any life on earth could evolve to live off a liquid which is not water? Something like oil or some other natural liquid?

3 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by CrazySlayaNinjaBear‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by CrazySlayaNinjaBear‭

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Meteor Impact Events and Magnetohydrodynamics

Siberia was formed as a result of a massive hotspot volcano (Siberian Traps) ~250 million years ago (mya) and so was India ~64 mya (Deccan Traps). So, I was working on a random planet generator fo...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by punkerplunk‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by punkerplunk‭

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Haunted by wererabbit's folksong

I've always been curious whenever I heard the mother wererabbit sings a popular folksong to the young, there is a particular line in the lyric that seems to puzzle me. It goes likes this: "up up a...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by user6760‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by user6760‭

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Hitting the tipping point for core removal to degrade atmosphere retention on a moon

Let us assume that we have a moon with a reasonable iron core enough that it can retain atmosphere, (as per this question), now let us further assume that the people who settle on the moon are shor...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Matthew Brown aka Lord Matt‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Matthew Brown aka Lord Matt‭

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How To Cook For Forty Humans?

It's the year 2050, and you're the planner for a manned mission to Pluto - New New Horizons. The mission will take 5 years round trip, and there are 40 members of the crew. What's the most effici...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Dan Smolinske‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Dan Smolinske‭

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Fusion Power and Plasma Propulsion

In the classic idea of a Tokamak Fusion Reactor, plasma races around an electromagnetic track. Is it plausible to "spin" off some of this rapidly moving plasma and direct it to nozzles for use in...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Danny Reagan‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Danny Reagan‭

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Fell the phylogenetic tree

A top secret organization is planning to introduce a New World Order and replaces every human being (homo sapiens sapiens) with the evolved form of sub species of homo sapiens. Meaning we are sub s...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by user6760‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by user6760‭

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Species evolved that encourages mutation of some of its embryos

I've been inspired to ask this question based off of my answer, and the resulting discussion, to this question: Why would a species of intelligent parthenogenetics invent males? However, this is a...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by dsollen‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by dsollen‭

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What could cause infertility between humans living in gravity and humans in space? How could that cause speciation?

Concerning long term effects of zero gravity on humans living in space compared with those living on super earths with 1.5x to 2x G, how could the gravity differences cause reproductive failure amo...

6 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Ansible‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Ansible‭

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Will Over-advancement cause genetic/physical degradation?

This is another question pertaining to my super-intelligent humanoids: Assuming that their race successfully developed extremely advanced, easily available prosthetics, while they were morally of ...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Feaurie Vladskovitz‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Feaurie Vladskovitz‭

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What would happen with a supermassive planet?

What would happen to a planet if it was really massive, like something around the size of the sun (likely made of asteroid materials)? What kind of environment might it have? What would happen to ...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by MCCG‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by MCCG‭

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What would be the effects of safe lightweight nuclear power?

Upon asking this question, I have learned why we can have nuclear powered ships, but not aircraft. The reason is because the shielding needed for the nuclear reactor is simply too heavy for the pow...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Thomas Myron‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Thomas Myron‭

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How would sleep cycles work in a world with a years-long day?

This is in my world of balloons and zeppelins, war and peace, day and night. Sleeping may be the least important thing but it is still important. On this world, the day and night cycle is 8.89 of t...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Uncle Tres‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Uncle Tres‭

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What engines would a bioship have?

Bioships - biological spaceships - appear in a lot of SF, so I thought I'd have a go. However, in most books they are depicted as more powerful than conventional tech in all and any regard. This ...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by moran‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by moran‭

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Are viable ore deposits likely to be found in the same area(s) as building materials?

Are there any valuable deposits (gold ore, iron ore, silver, copper, gemstones) which are likely to be found in or around excavation sites for building materials like limestone, sandstone, slate or...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by esckelbröd‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by esckelbröd‭

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How would a world without any mind-altering (via substances) differ as far as humans?

By some combination of changes in both the environment, and human biology, humans evolved on Earth in a way that basically makes them 100% unable to alter their minds using traditional methods: A...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by Viola Molin‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Viola Molin‭

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Are subsidiary lifeforms on the Moon possible?

In my world, Earth populated the Moon. Even if people are concealed in stations they got to go out from time to time (to explore or repair things that robot can't). My question is: Is it possible...

5 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Ephasme‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Ephasme‭

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In a Full-Body VR MMORPG, how I would force confidence?

If we had Full-Body Immersion MMORPGs, how would morale-boosting and morale-lowering skills work for players? By that, I mean, how would the game forcibly make players more or less confident, even ...

9 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Malady‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Malady‭

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What natural or artificial geographical structures that could allow a large-scale true "water going down the drain" whirlpool?

As a child, I was always fascinated by the propensity of water going down a drain to form a vortex. I created a world with a global ocean where there was a narrow body of land running north-south...

4 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Monty Wild‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Monty Wild‭

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Excluding pressure and breathing issues, how long can someone survive unprotected in space?

Bob escaped from his exploding spaceship in the world's most ghetto escape pod - an airtight metal box, with only some respiratory gear ($\text{O}_2$ tank, $\text{CO}_2$ filter) as company. Now he'...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Fhnuzoag‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Fhnuzoag‭

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Wrong Planet, What would an Aspergers' planet be like?

Being on the autism spectrum is often described as a feeling of being on "The Wrong Planet" So I'm wondering what the right planet might be like... For those that are unfamiliar: Social conventi...

5 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by apaul‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by apaul‭

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Scientific Accuracy - alien communication ideas

(Disclaimer: I tried this question earlier in the scifi site as well as real science sites, and was told should be on topic here) I'm writing a speculative story about aliens coming to earth - and...

4 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Wizkid‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Wizkid‭

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What modifications would be needed to allow humans to survive in space with limited protective gear?

Would it be possible to modify a human to be able to survive in space without protective gear? Genetic engineering and cybernetic enhancement are both allowed, although when not in space the perso...

6 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Tim B‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Tim B‭

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Keeping Secrets in a Thought Reverberating Hall

My protagonist, let's call her Alice, must acquire a priceless artifact, located deep inside an ancient temple. If this were a ruin, the exercise would be academic, but the Temple was protected b...

16 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Serban Tanasa‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Serban Tanasa‭

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Personality Quirks of a Database

I'm currently working on a world where there are people that live in data bases (basically a computer with no internet connection). They link to a human for life and and can record everything the ...

2 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by HadesHerald‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by HadesHerald‭

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What are the design considerations for my underwater settlement?

I have made my billions here in the present day, and I'd like to have a permanent underwater settlement. It is about as useless as the Mars One mission (yes, I went there), but some people may c...

7 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Mikey‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Mikey‭

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Are diamond berries possible?

Diamonds are carbon. Plants take in CO2 and use the carbon. Chemically, could the right kind of plant have diamonds for berries, or is there some other limiting factor?

8 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Sam Washburn‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Sam Washburn‭

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Red colored world

It would be useful for a story I'm working on to color the world or various dominant parts of it red. I'm trying to look into the following alternatives, but am open to further suggestions. Essenti...

5 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Henrygale‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Henrygale‭

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How dark can a habitable planet be?

I'm picturing a world with a permanent, dark, overcast sky, but I'm wondering how dark it can be before photosynthesis is no longer an option. It looks like there are a good number of plants that ...

6 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by apaul‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by apaul‭

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Moving people from a dying planet onto the moons of a gas giant

A class F star (1.4 times the mass of the sun — it has to go supernova) is expanding into the red giant phrase. Its Earth-like planet, with life on it, has slowly been pushed out of orbit as it exp...

2 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Isabella Chen‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Isabella Chen‭

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How should I introduce heavier elements on this world?

Based on this question I asked a while ago, I would like to know how to safely introduce new heavier elements to the world by asteroids without wiping the entire life and even keeps handy quantity ...

3 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Hendrik Lie‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Hendrik Lie‭

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Permanent settlements on the surface of ice

Suppose a planet is covered with floating ice on top of water ocean and has no dry land. Would it be possible to establish permanent settlements, cities? Particularly I am interested in technolog...

5 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Anixx‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Anixx‭

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How can people naturally become smaller?

Over the course of Homo-sapiens, we have become larger, because of diet & selection. Even in the last couple centuries. Today, we vary across geography and cultures, too, of course. Now it i...

6 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Mikey‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Mikey‭

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How would humans eradicate an organism that can actively spread through Earth's atmosphere?

So let's say that an alien civilization that we have made enemies with decides to use an advanced non-lethal biological weapon on the Earth as a warning. The aliens, while not infamous for any tec...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

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Crystalline materials in someone's bloodstream -- what effect would they have?

What effect would a crystalline material that is inert under ordinary environmental conditions have on someone if it was injected into their bloodstream? Examples materials include finely pulverize...

4 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Shalvenay‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Shalvenay‭

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What would happen to the Earth if Gravity disappeared?

This is a multi-tiered question. I have seen these larger questions before, but if I need to separate them out into their own questions let me know. In my story I have a machine that can manipulat...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by TaylorAllred‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by TaylorAllred‭

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How can I explain rain pouring skyward?

Water droplet forms from a pool of water and gradually rise or accelerate upward to the sky, my question is how can I explain such an phenomenon in a convincing way? kindly use magic sparingly and ...

6 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by user6760‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by user6760‭

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What would the facilities of a Moon colony look like?

What would a human colony on the moon look like? I already asked a prelusive question here about the safest place to start a moon colony but I needed further informations. After some answers, I re...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Ephasme‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Ephasme‭

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Would a clone army be a viable means of reproduction?

I have been reading on Wikipedia about cloning and am considering it a possibility for reproduction in my world. I am finding it slightly difficult to find all of the cons and pros associated with ...

5 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by JDSweetBeat‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by JDSweetBeat‭

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What shape would a spaceship have

I was watching Star Trek, and I thought that the shape of the Enterprise is quite weird. So what do you think a big spaceship like the Enterprise would look like? We assume in this case that the p...

8 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by fishkopf‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by fishkopf‭

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Can human be possessed by A.I.?

We have been stimulating our brains either for research or to treat illness in people: using a minute electrical current a computer can target a specific region of the brain or a specific neuron to...

5 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by user6760‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by user6760‭

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Desert City - agriculture and other specifics

I need an advice about creating an independent city (a city state) in the middle of a desert (the stony kind of wasteland). I will scratch what I have in my mind so far and I would be glad to hear ...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Smajl‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Smajl‭

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Could an ocean planet reflect its watery textures onto earth?

Let's say there's an OCEAN planet smaller than Earth but larger than the Moon. The Sun lights on the ocean planet reflecting the water textures onto Earth. Would it be possible to see watery refle...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Reinkkwer‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Reinkkwer‭

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Forced re-entry of all man-made satellites in short moment notice

Is it possible to manipulate all artificial satellites(including ISS) and space junks currently in orbit to fall into Earth's atmosphere in one go? (Tech level is late 22nd century science) Note: ...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by user6760‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by user6760‭

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Would keeping dinosaurs as livestock be feasible for a society like ours?

When you mention livestock you think of creatures such as cows, pigs, sheep, chickens and so on. We've been domesticating animals for like 17,000 years or so and have used them for a variety of mea...

5 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Thomas Jacobs‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Thomas Jacobs‭

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A summer colder than winter?

Normally, summers are supposed to be hotter than winters because the axis of the Earth is tilted toward the Sun during the hot season. This mean that the north receive more energy from the Sun, day...

6 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Vincent‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by Vincent‭