Questions tagged [science-fiction]
For questions that allow fanciful, creative or imaginative solutions based on or rationalized by real world science, but not necessary limited by real world science. Entirely magical solutions must use the magic tag instead. This tag should not be used with the science-based, hard-science, or internal-consistency tags. This tag should never be the only tag on a question, because this tag frames how a question should be answered, not the topic.
2,619 questions
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How to construct a re-arming mechanism for a medieval crossbow using medieval technology?
In my world I have a genius inventor like DaVinci and my inventor has been asked to create a hand-held semi-automatic crossbow. The crossbow reloads and cocks itself without human input.
What is a ...
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Do you think there would be interest in an AI based world that runs on poeples computers? [closed]
I have a prototype program where AI lives (entire worlds) exists on a user's computer. The world has real rules, and the AI can communicate or interact. These worlds can be part of a galaxy, where ...
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How to make a realistic infantry laser rifle? [closed]
I mean, it’s kinda explained in the title, but I have a faction called the Commonwealth of United Draylothian Clans (from the lava world of Drayloth VII, in our galaxy, specifically the dead zone ...
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What would I be able to see If I were living on the interior surface of a Dyson Sphere like planet that completely encloses a sun?
I am toying with writing a story in a setting where the world is wrapped around the sun, totally enclosing it. I don't have enough of a science background to really know for sure what that would look ...
Emrys
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Would large cave systems form on an abiotic world?
I'm thinking about planet without life that humans colonize and seed with Earth life. If a planet has an abiotic history, could large cave systems form? I understand that caves form in environments ...
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Would perfect muscle control realistically be advantageous?
To achieve perfect muscle control, a computer chip is implanted in someone's brain. This chip essentially perfects muscle control. For instance, if the user moves, it will pick the optimal muscles for ...
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Would a modulating weapon be a good weapon for a cyborg?
In essence, this is a sword/melee weapon made of some self-moving fluid. The cyborg or computorialy advanced wielder can control the shape of the fluid and form it into whatever they want (within ...
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Could horns function as a respiratory organ? [closed]
On a humanoid species (say one resembling a tiefling), could it be possible for horns growing from the head to be able to draw in air to the lungs for active breathing?
Essentially what I want is for ...
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Doctrineless Ground Combat Platform Differentiation
Context
My science fiction setting has a superpower that goes by "The Sytranian Consortium" or "Sytran" for short. Sytran relies primarily on naval and air assets (as they're ...
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Closest possible proximity of 2 sunlike stars that are in separate systems
How close could two sunlike stars be to each other without orbiting each other? They would be two separate solar systems, not binary. Each system would host a habitable planet.
I'm working to figure ...
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Is there any way to justify having this nation be this poor, while also having a valuable industry under government control?
In my science fiction setting, there is a small, underdeveloped polity called the Kingdom of Kadar. At the time that the story starts, the polity is undergoing a brutal civil war.
For the purposes of ...
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Long term cryosleep side effect
I am planning to write about long term cryosleep (more than 100 years). As far as I know, several science fiction works addressed the problem of irreparable cell damage (due to ice crystals) by using ...
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That one star system everyone visits first -- why? [closed]
The history of the FC System is fascinating. No life arose naturally in this system (or at least, nothing macroscopic). Nevertheless, at interstellar distances, it seems like an extremely promising ...
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Assuming that production isn't a problem, what would be the easiest antimatter element to store and contain?
Basically my spacefaring civilization finds a relic left behind by a sufficiently advanced alien civilization, called the Inverter. No one knows how it works and I'm not even going to bother ...
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Where do human-like species make their homes in the galaxy if they can choose?
Imagine you're building a setting where humans and/or biologically similar species have dispersed among the stars over a very long time, such that they span thousands of lightyears, and let's say you'...
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