Seriously thoughtful When science fiction meets science fact

[pilotbob]

So, what sci-fi technologies do you thing are impossible or possible?

Here are some of my thoughts.

Impossible
Transporters - basically to work it would have to kill you.

FTL Travel - while I think we will learn ways to travel faster I think light speed or even above is a fantasy.

Sentient Computers - yes computers will get much more powerful and programming will improve. But, skynet or M5 just can't happen. I am very happy a recent Numbers episode kept this reality firmly in place.

Possible
Space Colonies - I think this will happen... probably not in my life time. But, we are talking about withing our system. Perhaps on the moon or mars. Perhaps even a space station type structure.

Alien life - while I think it is highly possible that there are "alien" life forms. I don't think we will ever meet them. The vastness of space and the distances between start systems with the lack of "warp speed" pretty much seals this.

Voice Computer Interfaces - while I don't think we will see a positorinc brain or skynet (see above) I do think PCs will have the power and programming to do some hueristic work. It will be able to perform tasks that you need it to. It will be able to adjust to your patterns. As a matter of fact, I recently heard a story about a company working on a GPS that did some of this. It monitored your patterns and help route you around traffic. It could know if you were bringing Billy to school today or just going strait to work. We alread see the beginning of "agents". For example, rather than just having to skim over hundreds of RSS articles your "news agent" will learn what stories you like or might be interested. It will summarize it. It will also be able to find events that tie in with your likes and dislikes. Of course this is a much more sophisticated task than we have now with "targeted" advertising.

Space Elevator - yes, with enough Time and Money you [google] can do anything.

BOb

[Krystian Galaj]

I would certainly like to see Google Space Elevator

I think cyborgization technology / biotechnology is just beginning, and it will be the next thing that will change the world - in a few decades.

[Fledchen]

I like the Atomic Rockets website, which explains the more probable science fiction elements, and also explains why the improbable ones are improbable.

http://www.projectrho.com/rocket/

[cassidym]

For an interesting book on the subject, try "The Physics of Star Trek". And the author pretty much agrees with you pilotbob

[Ralph Sir Edward]

FTL travel may be possible. There is a mathemematical loophold, which could be tested but has not so far.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Impossible
Transporters - basically to work it would have to kill you.

I wouldn't be too sure about that:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sc...er-451673.html

Improbably, yes, impossible, no... I think humans can be so stuborn they won't give up if they get an idea. As it appears to work for data (so far), people will go on until it works for everything. It might take a long time, but in the end, they will crack it.


Too bad I won't be there to show I'm right. As I think Time Travel is in the impossible group...

[Ralph Sir Edward]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I wouldn't be too sure about that:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sc...er-451673.html

Improbably, yes, impossible, no... I think humans can be so stuborn they won't give up if they get an idea. As it appears to work for data (so far), people will go on until it works for everything. It might take a long time, but in the end, they will crack it.


Too bad I won't be there to show I'm right. As I think Time Travel is in the impossible group...

Once again there is a mathematical loophole. A hyperbolic orbit around a black hole of galactic mass would allow time travel. It has to galactic in mass in order not to be destroyed by the tides.... (Allowable under General Theory of Relativity)

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Once again there is a mathematical loophole. A hyperbolic orbit around a black hole of galactic mass would allow time travel. It has to galactic in mass in order not to be destroyed by the tides.... (Allowable under General Theory of Relativity)

The key word there being "theory" of course.

BOb

[pilotbob]

Yes... good one. Add "Time Travel" to my list of Impossible.

BOb

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I wouldn't be too sure about that:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sc...er-451673.html

Did you read this? And I quote from you reference:

when the state of matter rather than matter itself is sent from one place to another.

So, if the "matter" isn't actually sent are you really being transported? Ok, you might be at the other location, but you are still at the first location. So, how do we resolve that... well we annihilate the matter at the origin location. No problem, right.

BOb

[slayda]

Nanotechnology is beginning to happen. Will it ever get to the point of self replication?

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

...
So, if the "matter" isn't actually sent are you really being transported? Ok, you might be at the other location, but you are still at the first location. So, how do we resolve that... well we annihilate the matter at the origin location. No problem, right.

BOb

Are you talking about an ethical "problem"?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

Are you talking about an ethical "problem"?

I remember some years ago either reading a short story, or seeing a short film - I forget which it was - about the "ethics" of transporter technology, the whole point of which was that it inevitably involves the "death" of the person being "transported", and the ethical implications of that.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I remember some years ago either reading a short story, or seeing a short film - I forget which it was - about the "ethics" of transporter technology, the whole point of which was that it inevitably involves the "death" of the person being "transported", and the ethical implications of that.

For some reason (and it may be a short story I read once), this is what came to my mind too when I first saw it on the list. I don't want to assume that's the basis of BOb's "impossible", but if it is, then it would clarify that particular parameter of "impossible" in my mind.

Cheers,
Marc

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

The key word there being "theory" of course.

BOb

If you get a chance, Bob, read Jim Al-Khalili's book "Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines". It's a wonderful exploration of the possibilies for time travel inherent in Black Holes, written in a very readable style by one of the experts in the field of Black Holes.