Questions tagged [power-sources]
For question about anything that can be used as a power source for a planet or civilization.
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Containing a Black Hole's End-Of-Life
Let's set the scene. Some advanced civilisation has taken to creating artificial Black Holes and using them as commonplace batteries - without the intention of refueling them. They simply hollow out ...
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Viable power source for a spacecraft to reach relativistic speed [closed]
I’m working on a vehicle that can move from planet to planet in my novel in a short time frame (less than 1 day), and it needs a power source. It is made for shuttling heavy cargo (valuable minerals ...
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How long can nuclear power plants last without the power grid and humanity? [duplicate]
Here is the question: "Following an immediate, irreversible collapse of the power grid and the medium-term (few decades) disappearance of humanity, would would happen to nuclear power plants?&...
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Is carbon-223 theoretically possible? [closed]
In my story, there's a stable isotope of carbon with 217 neutrons (it doesn't have to be 217, I just like the number). Based on humanity's current observations of the universe, could this isotope ...
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Feasible compact fusion power source
Many questions here about power sources, not an exact fit and many are now years old and since we've reached fusion Q=1, perhaps some have better insight on future development. I need a generative non-...
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If I wanted to build a space-faring probe),could it absorb the radiation in space and used it as fuel?
If I wanted to build a space-faring probe (no humans on board), would it be possible to build the structure and covering of the ship so that it absorbed the radiation in space and used it as fuel? I ...
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Using explosive flux charges as an electric cannon power source
Finding ways of powering electric cannons in a compact and lightweight manner has been a common source of interest to me. While looking through some articles and other answers I found out about ...
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Best electricity generation from a magical conveyor
The setup
I have a conveyor that is 10m long and 2m wide. The belt moves at 15,6m/s (56,16km/h).this is a magical belt that when placed, will never move from it's spot. If you remove the foundations, ...
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What noise would a nuclear gas turbine make? [closed]
At the core of the powerpacks of the upcoming generation of powered exoskeletons are dusty plasma fission fragment reactors, in which nanoparticles of nuclear fuel inside a vacuum undergo a fission ...
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Is There a Lower Limit on the Size of Fusion Reactor?
It would be really cool if you could build cybernetic arms with incredible strength, power coil guns with a man portable unit, or use power armor for extended combat. One of the ways this is ...
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Possibility of solar powered space stations around a red dwarf
I have an earth-like world orbiting an M7 red dwarf on the outer edge of the habitable zone(0.0443AU). Since red dwarfs emit more infrared light than visible light, solar panels would probably not be ...
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Power grid on the Moon
Actually this is not an idea for a book, I thought about it after reading this article. The power grid they propose for the moon would require a lot of electric cables and robots that bring power ...
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Gas or Electric for a Zombie Apocalypse [closed]
This question is referring to tools, like chainsaws and weedwhackers.
Gas would be easier to get, being a liquid form that can be stockpiled, but gas tools are loud and leave fumes.
Meanwhile, ...
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What fluids would be better than water for steam power?
I was wondering what it'd take for a fluid to be more efficient than water for steam engines.
My current idea is a fictional fluid with three properties: 1) It boils at 80C, thus requiring less fuel/...
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What should my green goo target to disable electrical infrastructure but allow smaller scale electronics?
I have floating islands with varying levels of technology that can be allowed on them, usually based on height. One of these islands has tiny microbe/bacterium that allows for food crops to be grown ...
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