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fjtorres · 07-07-2017, 08:08 PM

Doc Smith also did a couple versions of "atomic energy" in SKYLARK OF SPACE and TRIPLANETARY. Both were extrapolations of chemical principles instead of physics.

That's a problem with "hard SF", sticking with known-right science and (maybe) extrapolating from there. What is known to be true changes quickly and often ceases to be so as science moves on.

Sometimes the hand wavers come out ahead.

07-07-2017, 08:08 PM	#83
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Doc Smith also did a couple versions of "atomic energy" in SKYLARK OF SPACE and TRIPLANETARY. Both were extrapolations of chemical principles instead of physics. That's a problem with "hard SF", sticking with known-right science and (maybe) extrapolating from there. What is known to be true changes quickly and often ceases to be so as science moves on. Sometimes the hand wavers come out ahead. Last edited by fjtorres; 07-07-2017 at 08:38 PM.