Friday, June 05, 2009

Forcefields

Looks like this car will only be build when force fields are perfected (or even invented).
In Iain M. Bank's space opera books, force fields is an indispensable technology. For example, his space ships are so huge that nothing else would hold them together!

I wonder if force fields are possible. Wouldn't they be neat though? If can trust them to not collapse in power failure, they would solve all kinds of building and engineering problems.


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Another car. A real-life Transformer (OK, in a modest way), from compact to mini-truck.

6 comments:

Final Identity said...

We already have "force fields." The super-high-speed rail lines in Japan (and, I think, France) use a magnetic "cushion" which lifts the train up off the tracks by force of mutually repelling magnets. The magnetic field at the foot of the train, and the magnetic field generated along the rail at the proximity of the train, are synchronized to polarize in unison, thus lifting the train onto a cushion of ... nothing. Minimum resistance!

Monsieur Beep! said...

And air travel along field lines - this would solve the big problem of pollution and carbon accumulation caused by today's jets.
I once read an article which said that the very same technology was being investigated by a relevant jet turbine company (I think it was Rolls Royce).

There are indeed ways to save our homestead.

Ray said...

"I wonder if force fields are possible."

Besides those Maglev systems for trains, it's another kind of force fields which are used inside our electrical generators to create the electricity that keeps our power on.

Electromagnets on the rotating rotor inside a generator induce the alternating currents in the stationary windings of the stator which make the alternating current
electricity of our power grids that keep your lights on.

Anonymous said...

Banks' gigantic ships etc. wouldn't need force fields to stay together they are in space so it's not like you have gravity which is what prevents making skyscrapers 30,000 feet high

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Fair point, but you do have enertia, when stopping, starting, turning...

Anonymous said...

forcefields wouldn't solve that problem at least not for the people on the ships