Worldbuilding Stack Exchange Community Digest

Top new questions this week:

What goods yield the best profit for time-travel arbitrage?

You have a time machine... of sorts. It allows you to go into the past in an alternate universe. This universe started the same as ours, until visits from time travelers like yourself started making ...

economy time-travel  
user avatar asked by Zags Score of 13
user avatar answered by D'Monlord Score of 21

Chemical Coin Flipping as Divination

Let me explain what the odd title means. In the I Ching, a book of ancient Chinese divination, there is a process of using 50 rods to produce what is essentially a binary outcome. The details aren't ...

magic technology chemistry  
user avatar asked by A. Thomas Yerger Score of 9
user avatar answered by JBH Score of 14

The Lost Continents of Atlantis and Mu reappear: Disruption to Transport

In a single event, the lost continents of Atlantis and Mu arise from the deeps over the course of about half an hour, accompanied by a low-magnitude earthquake felt worldwide. For the purpose of this ...

science-based earth transportation cataclysms modern  
user avatar asked by Monty Wild Score of 8
user avatar answered by Mon Score of 7

How could warfare be kept using pike and shot like tactics for 700 years?

In real life the pike and shot tactics were only dominant for 150-200 years or so before the pike largely disappeared and it become mostly just musket. However, could the era of pike and shot warfare ...

warfare technological-development firearms  
user avatar asked by OT-64 SKOT Score of 8
user avatar answered by o.m. Score of 13

What kind of pressures would make a culture force its members to always wear power armour

I'm writing a science-fantasy story where there is a culture that forces its members to constantly wear power armor in public. There are different types of armor depending on the specific job the ...

technology culture  
user avatar asked by nadichamp Score of 7
user avatar answered by GiantSpaceHamster Score of 11

Would human-shaped sperm cells work?

After looking at videos of sperm cells, they reminded me of someone swimming. I've decided this was a neat idea for me to integrate in my worldbuilding. For lore reasons, I have a group of people with ...

science-based biology reproduction  
user avatar asked by Dmyt Score of 6
user avatar answered by thinkcritically Score of 2

Can I cause a star to go supernova by altering the four fundamental forces?

I have the Scientocratic Hivemind. It has the ability to create and envelop things in a magic field. Within this field, it can choose to strengthen or weaken the four fundamental forces governing the ...

science-fiction physics stars  
user avatar asked by Dmyt Score of 6

Greatest hits from previous weeks:

Life on a planet with never-ending rain

I'm intrigued by the notion of life on a planet where rain is a constant presence. Imagine a world where precipitation never ceases, where the skies are perpetually gray, and the sound of raindrops ...

biology planets atmosphere fauna ecology  
user avatar asked by Alessar Score of 15
user avatar answered by L.Dutch Score of 20

If everyone in the world disappeared except 35 random people, how long would it take for one of them to realize they're not alone?

Everyone suddenly disappears from earth except 35 people randomly scattered wherever they were before everyone disappeared. How long would it take on average for 2 or more people to meet? What other ...

post-apocalypse geography earth communication population  
user avatar asked by LDR Score of 191
user avatar answered by Drazex Score of 213

Are ravens a genuinely realistic way of carrying messages?

In many fantasy worlds people send messages using ravens, they're often portrayed as being intelligent birds. To the best of my knowledge, on earth only homing pigeons have been used to carry ...

internal-consistency communication  
user avatar asked by Liath Score of 29
user avatar answered by Katie Score of 30

Build a real life Flash - How to create the speedforce in real life?

In DC's TV-series (and comics), Barry Allen is The Flash: a superhero powered by the speed-force. This speed-force allows him to move incredibly fast, can be transferred to others, and there also ...

internal-consistency biology hard-science near-future  
user avatar asked by Frezzley Score of 5
user avatar answered by AndreiROM Score of 3

How might telekinesis and pyrokinesis work if they were possible?

New here! Now let me be clear: I'm well aware that telekinesis and pyrokinesis are both impossible, as I've been rudely informed on every science forum. Nonetheless, I don't just want to "make it up" ...

science-based magic physics psionics electromagnetism  
user avatar asked by BurningScroll Score of 31
user avatar answered by IndigoFenix Score of 10

What would happen if there was no wind?

Assuming that during the middle ages on Earth, all wind stopped. Some magic spell has made it so that air will no longer move faster than a gentle breeze from thermodynamics (the speed air moves out ...

science-based magic environment  
user avatar asked by Tezra Score of 7
user avatar answered by Bellerophon Score of 19

What are the advantages of a coilgun v.s. a railgun?

I want to know the pros and cons of hand held rail guns versus coil guns. They will be given to infantry who can easily lift the weapons. If need be they could have twice the strength of a normal ...

weapons railguns coilguns  
user avatar asked by Sunspear25 Score of 29
user avatar answered by Jim2B Score of 33
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