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Questions tagged [science]

For questions about the fictitious in-universe science found in works of speculative fiction. Questions purely concerning real-world science are off-topic.

18
votes
7answers
87k views

What is the best scientific explanation for how The Flash moves so fast without issue, or is it just “magic?”

The Flash goes from zero to ??? in an eye blink. As he does not have a Saturn 5 rocket on his back, how do you explain the acceleration? How do you explain his ability to stop on a dime and turn ...
28
votes
8answers
10k views

How does time travel take into account the rotation/revolution of the Earth? [closed]

Hypothetically, if you were to travel say, 6 months into the past with no spatial displacement, you would end up floating in space because the Earth would be on the opposite side of the sun. I know ...
39
votes
7answers
10k views

What would really happen if you were exposed to space? [closed]

It seems that every science fiction story has a different idea about what would happen if a human were exposed to the vacuum of space. At the end of Total Recall, Quaid and Melina are ejected to ...
5
votes
1answer
310 views

YA Novel where the main characters family have been replaced by impostors

There's not much I remember about the book. I know it has a green cover, the hardback version anyway. The green is almost shiny with vertical lines, sort of like the matrix. This could be way off, ...
22
votes
4answers
8k views

In Ex Machina, can this character survive?

This is not about who I'm quite sure is doomed, but Is there any way this character could survive for long?
18
votes
1answer
4k views

How exactly does one farm moisture?

This question has been bothering me since I was six years old- we know that Aunt Buru and Uncle Owen are moisture farmers, but what is it that they do? What is the process? Is it profitable? What ...
16
votes
4answers
4k views

Can the “mind” make injuries real like in the Matrix? [closed]

In the original Matrix movie, when Neo falls off a building he receives minor injuries in the simulation. When he "wakes up" in the real world, he feels pain and when he reaches for his mouth he sees ...
21
votes
4answers
4k views

What's the technical explanation for gravity to exist inside a spacecraft in science fiction? [closed]

Specifically, spacecraft that are not obviously using centrifugal force to simulate gravity the way that the space station from 2001 does.
16
votes
1answer
876 views

Is there a scientific basis for the healing properties of chocolate?

A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. ‘Here,’ he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. ‘Eat it. It’ll help.’ ...
12
votes
3answers
4k views

How is antimatter produced?

In Star Trek, the fundamental concept of warp drive requires anti-matter and matter combinations to produce the needed energy. Yet, despite this importance, I haven't come across any reference to how ...
27
votes
6answers
7k views

What FTL drives in science-fiction are the most scientifically plausible? [closed]

Science-fiction has used wormhole travel, hyperdrive, teleportation, even sub-FTL flight combined with time travel o get characters there and back again. Even hard science-fiction writer Larry Niven ...
17
votes
7answers
1k views

Earliest story about civil nuclear power

Does anybody know which is the earliest SF story about the civil uses of nuclear power (possibly, power generation)? The best I can find is a 1940 short story by Robert A. Heinlein, “Blowups Happen” (...
12
votes
1answer
361 views

Story where stardrive test-pilot visits alien solar system and is attacked by a psychic (alien) child

Looking for story title and author. Can't remember if the story was a short story, novella or novel. Here's the storyline as I remember it. In the near future humans have just created a prototype ...
11
votes
2answers
3k views

Are the language elements in Snow Crash supported by science?

After reading Snow Crash, I have to wonder if any of the premise or main/supporting plot points are backed by any science, or even plausible based on our current understanding. For example: Little ...
6
votes
1answer
392 views

Looking for title and author of book where gun powder explodes

Like the title says I'm looking for title and author of a book where gun powder explodes. I read it sometime ago (15-20 years) The story starts in a university where they are testing a machine. When ...
15
votes
2answers
3k views

Is Batman a scientist?

Batman clearly does a lot of research and development (apparently on his own in many timelines). The question has been posed before. Is Batman a scientist?
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