Questions tagged [hard-science]
REVIEW THE WIKI BEFORE USING THIS TAG! For questions that require unequivocal proof that answers are correct through the use of equations, empirical evidence, scientific papers, etc. Compare to: science-fiction, science-based and internal-consistency. This tag may not be used alone. This tag may not be used with the science-fiction, science-based, or internal-consistency tags. Flag your question for moderator attention once posted.
1,036 questions
0 votes
1 answer
115 views
Could a universe be governed by curvature emerging from electrostatic tension rather than spacetime fabric —and just what would such a law then imply? [closed]
In standard physics, curvature is defined as the bending of spacetime caused by mass-energy. But suppose a different framework existed in which curvature is not a geometric deformation of spacetime ...
5 votes
2 answers
514 views
What volume of sediment would be required to close the Shargrainan Straits?
Related to How can I make a migratory path sea channel between two land-masses be at risk of closure at any time?, I have decided to have the Shargrainan Straits on my world of Ruquelis closed by a ...
- 79.4k
6 votes
2 answers
2k views
I may have made an error in the stability of my extremely close orbit
Alright, here's my issue. I have a planet, roughly twice Earth's mass, that is extremely dense. It's about 6000 KG/M^3, so in theory it should be able to orbit inside the star before breaking- my ...
- 63
11 votes
1 answer
1k views
Dzhanibekov effect and structural integrity of a spaceship
The Dzhanibekov effect shows the instability of rotation about an asymmetric object’s intermediate principal axis. An example can be seen in this video. I was thinking of embedding it in my ...
- 311k
10 votes
6 answers
2k views
Mapping political boundaries in the Milky Way galaxy
Background The Salutary Suzerain Eashmeelthfluischaotchaulpcreurmmoelshchurbshrulth (we call him The Great Eel, now kneel!) has declared that in His Greatest Beneficence, He shall divide the Galaxy ...
- 141k
10 votes
1 answer
185 views
How would the statosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere of an Earthlike planet merge together?
Imagine an Earthlike planet orbiting a sunlike star. Now imagine a Wolf-Rayet star passing by pretty close to the sunlike star. However, WR stars emit almost all of their light in the vacuum ...
- 143
2 votes
3 answers
278 views
Could an alien plant composed of purely stem cells, be very adaptable?
In terms of scientific realness, I want to have a bioengineered plant that is composed primarily of stem cells. I want it that way so it can grow in any environment, and adapt to any changes in ways ...
- 963
4 votes
0 answers
161 views
How much air pressure and air flow I would need in order to make a ultra thin and long air jet for a plasma cutter-sword with a ideal de-laval nozzle?
The idea is that specific types of industrial plasma cutters were adapted in a compacted form for mechs in case of melee combat and for bunker-buster missiles (easier to go through meters of ...
- 481
13 votes
6 answers
2k views
Does the slow reproductive rate of large mammals make them unable to compete with dinosaurs?
I have a fictional world where mammals coexist with dinosaurs, and I am currently fleshing out the details of the ecosystem. I don't really have a vision for what specific animals I want in my story, ...
- 3,758
-1 votes
1 answer
265 views
How to calculate population growth of space colonies including immigration
My setting involves colonizing other planets over long periods of time and I am trying to calculate population growth of these colonies to determine how developed they become by a certain date. While ...
- 4,616
3 votes
1 answer
205 views
How small can a human-like eye be?
Ultimately, resolution is constrained by diffraction limits, so using smaller wavelengths of light gets you more resolution for a given eye size, and a smaller eye ends up with a worse diffractive ...
- 43.1k
3 votes
2 answers
283 views
How large can my interplanetary banana be? [closed]
In this question, there is a giant banana planet. It basically handwaves the whole giant banana part, but I want to do things scientifically. How large can I make my banana? This banana will be scaled ...
- 1,358
-4 votes
4 answers
278 views
Unintended Consequences of a Cryptocurrency Based off of Radioactive Decay
Tax season is almost over in the U.S., and it got me thinking. Out of curiosity, I had joined a local chapter of the Libertarian party in the past. Many of them loved cryptocurrency. And many, but not ...
- 11
-2 votes
2 answers
154 views
How big can I make an explosion? [closed]
By explosion, I mean that it must meet the following criteria: It releases enough energy and/or tangible byproducts in any form to affect visible and tangible material through noticeable destruction ...
- 1,358
3 votes
3 answers
185 views
Radioactive World Formation
So I’ve just finished reading Neptune’s Brood for the second time and have found myself wondering what circumstances would be necessary to form a planet similar to Shin-Tethys. Essentially I’m ...
- 155