when sci-fi becomes reality, what's left?

[crazy a]

I was wondering about this the past few days. Aside from sci-fi like Star Trek/Wars, robots, aliens and the like, is there anything left to write about? For example:

Man walking on the moon was science fiction. Now we can do it at the drop of a hat.

Going to Mars was science fiction. Well, I guess it still is, but we're close to doing that.

Computers were science fiction. Now, not only do we have them, we have them small enough to carry in a bookbag.

The internet was science fiction. And look at us now.

So I guess I'm asking: if you were writing a piece of sci-fi but didn't want to go the way out fantastic route, you wanted to write something that might be possible in the future, what would it be?

(By the way, Asis, might I ask if you have an IM tag?)

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"what's jail?"
"everything's jail."

[This message has been edited by crazy a (edited September 23, 2001).]

[Nommy]

Well, Crazy A....

We are close....How about Bio-electronic Net jacking With a direct link to the brain.

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Nommy

[AsIs]

I'd go with what Nommy said.

Or teleportation.

My IM is AzzizTuna but you have to send me your name so I can put you on my list and you can see me.

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Selah

[jasoom]

Neural implants/and or indexed & coded brain graphs for educational purposes. (Instant PhDs) (Learn instantly 40 languages for just $6,000.00 with an outpatient implant session.)

Audio/visual receiver implants that would enable one to visualize, in real time, broadcasted events; for instance, we send an exploratory craft to another planetary system, it relays it's findings earthward to a booster station which would relay the signals & everyone could experience the events as if 3 dimensionally being there. (Would be a safe way of exploring monster ridden planets J ) One could write a science fiction of an Earth filled with 'armchair' deep space explorers.

Or maybe going the 'safe skin' route. Individual electronic fields that worked as bio suits to enable one to experience the vacuum of space unencumbered, or walk the depths of the oceans without worrying about air & pressurization, or for fire fighters to be able to withstand extreme temps.

Lower dimensional travel for a sci-fi book. A for instance: trapping a character in a 'flatland' situation.


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[crazy a]

Indeed.

What do you mean by a "flatland" situation? I don't believe I'm familiar with that term.

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"what's jail?"
"everything's jail."

[Nommy]

Wow Jasoom.....

You seem to be all set up to write a story with those ideas. Cool!

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Nommy

[Wizz]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by crazy a:
<snip>
Man walking on the moon was science fiction. Now we can do it at the drop of a hat.
<snip><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You all might be somewhat astounded to know that we currently can not send someone to the moon and return them back to earth. The only system capable of launching the kind of payload the Apollo system used is the single Saturn V rocket on display at Kennedy Space Center...I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I think the one on display needs an incredible amount of work to get it functional. We could build one, yeah...and how long would that take?

Yep. That's right. We couldn't go to the moon today even if we desperately wanted to. It's back in the realm of science fiction once again.


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Do not tempt the patience of Wizzards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.

[jasoom]

I was referring to a situation in which one would be interacting in a two dimensional existence rather that our three dimensional experience. (2 dimensions of space to compliment the fluid dimension of time.) The bizarre existence and reality of Flatland would be one without our corresponding perception of height.

The word 'FlatLand' itself is referring to Edwin A. Abbott's Flatland: A romance of many dimensions, 1884 copyright. You can reference the work at the following: http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/flatland/ http://www.wpo.net/ask.html

I was aware of the now defunct Apollo system and the Saturn V rocket. I'm not certain but I believe I read that there are several critical systems that cannot be reproduced without re-tooling for their manufacture. This is a shame. (Wonder if the shuttle could transport the moon lander to moon's orbit in a pinch ?)


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[This message has been edited by jasoom (edited September 26, 2001).]

[Wizz]

I think the irony is the shuttle, using it's cargo bay as a fuel tank, could orbit the moon and return to earth. Put a lunar lander in there, and it's a one-way trip for the shuttle. Close, but not close enough. And, I'm not really sure about the dimensions of the lander; would the original one fit in the cargo bay?

[Rantarn]

Don't forget time travel. Something we certainly haven't come up with yet.

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Drago Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus