Dealing with "Real Science" in your SF

[lin robinson]

I thought was just lazer fair, myself.

 

[thecommabandit]

Re: A laser recoil ??

Er, well, there may be several ways to make a laser recoil-- Or, at least, kick.

A chemical-powered laser may jet waste. Toxic waste, probably. Super-heated, certainly. Don't get it in your eyes or on your clothes.

Or the power source is an internal combustion device driving a magnetic field, per non-nuke EMP source. Think nail-gun or captive bolt / starter-pistol. There'll be an exhaust vent and recoil.

Even clean fusion power will need some way to let off steam.

However you generate it, releasing a couple of megajoules into a laser's circuitry may cause a wriggle or twitch as the current surges along wiring and the magnetic field spikes. There's a *very* good reason why heavy power cables are tied down. And didn't CERN recently have a problem when several new super-magnets shifted and broke their mountings at power-up ?? Think rail-gun...

And, yeah, why go to all that trouble to get some high-energy photons when you could fire a bullet ?? 'Infinite repeater', did I hear you say ? Perhaps each cartridge contains a one-shot Deuterium / Tritium / Helium3 fusion mix ??

Okay, if laser is chemical pulse driven, it permits potential plot twist with improvised weapon...

And, don't forget the old saw...

'What was that laser you cut me with last night ?'
'That was no laser-- that was my knife !!'

I had thought about some of those; mainly the coolant ejection, but it seems to me like if there was some sort of harmful chemical substance that needed to be gotten rid of, it probably wouldn't be ejected willy-nilly from the gun.

And for Interference:

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

 

[Moonbat]

Sorry to drag you all back on topic away from layzors and lasers.

I find that a mix of sevral of the methods you described depending on what is required for the story, how far -(into the future)- fetched the science is and how far my own understanding goes.

You've hit on a good point where the line between working on serious scientific thoery and making up tech-words that don't explain anything but insinuate a mastery of science that is so hidden it might be called 'magic'.

I personally read new scientist for inspiration and see what techno-babble I can find on-line to fill in gaps that I'm not confident enough to fill myself.

But with any sufficiently advanced or developmental science the more technical you get the more disagreements you can get from real (or wannabe) techies

 

[The Ace]

A laser can be any colour you like, and highly visible, so you can tell friend from foe.

 

[lin robinson]

layzors

Is it a chair? Whatever it is, I want one.

 

[Nik]

"Real Science" in Soft Target

Um, I've just added the next chunk to 'Soft Target' in 'Critique' section.

Changing POV cleared the block. What came out, though, is not what I expected.

But, yes, the Sci/Tech is as real as I could make it.

Now I gotta sit down with some old notes and check the math on hyper-velocity impactors...

 

[Question]

This week I felt like I needed some Real Science backup for a short story that popped into my head to keep me from having to finish this damned novel, so I posted on a science forum asking about what gear or processes could scan into stone sculpture.
I got some half-hearted BS like "seismic or X-rays" then 4 science guys checked in telling me to just make up some ******** and make it work.

seek and ye shall find

That's exactly why I came here. I do know of a good science forum so I will try to check it all out there too. I've also been using wikipedia, although googling Area 51 gives me the heebie jeebies!! Like you, all of my science is mostly at the end (it's mostly fantasy anyway) and so I'm at a standstill til I buckle down and learn some of the science (which I suck at) *grumbles loudly*
Nice to meet you lin =)

 

[Steve Jordan]

This week I felt like I needed some Real Science backup for a short story that popped into my head to keep me from having to finish this damned novel, so I posted on a science forum asking about what gear or processes could scan into stone sculpture.
I got some half-hearted BS like "seismic or X-rays" then 4 science guys checked in telling me to just make up some ******** and make it work.

Here's one I've used for that: Micro- (or Nano-)pulse Radar. Based on real technology, radio signals in the nanometer range are capable of scanning into objects that standard radar signals cannot penetrate, and reflect with higher definition. Presently being researched for better airport, truck, and cargo screening technology. Believe it... or not!

 

[Steve Jordan]

Re: A laser recoil ??

Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation

Although, for TV and movies, laser stands for:

Light Amplification by Simulated Emission of Radiation

 

[lin robinson]

I prefer stimulated to simulated myself. One of the reasons I got rid of my last girlfriend.

 

[thecommabandit]

I prefer stimulated to simulated myself. One of the reasons I got rid of my last girlfriend.

You got rid of her with lazers? =B

 

[lin robinson]

I kind of phazed her out.