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1500 questions
39
votes
18 answers
What kind of apocalyptic event can be predicted years before it happens?
I'm looking for a realistic apocalyptic event, which can't be prevented, but can be accidentally predicted long before it actually happens. By the prediction I mean a scientific prediction, of course. And by accidentally, I mean that only selected…
Sanko
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12 answers
Cyclops - depth perception issues
In my land we have a race of human-like cyclops.
The only real difference is their increased strength, and the fact they only have one eye.
Would having one eye affect depth perception, and if so how can I explain a solution to this issue without…
Terry
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39
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17 answers
How practical would a zombie horde actually be in medieval setting
Given a fantasy setting with necromancers that can produce armies of undead, would such an army really be useful against a fully-equipped but smaller human force?
Given that:
Zombies in this fantasy setting are magic based and are therefore…
Bryan McClure
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39
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8 answers
What would a Giant’s voice be like?
As per my previous question on giants, if the average human is 5′10″, and he is scaled up to 50 feet whilst remaining proportionately correct, would this have any effect on what he sounds like?
I'm particularly interested in whether it would have…
Recelica
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39
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17 answers
How to realistically create a bow that's also two one-handed swords?
In the anime RWBY most characters have crazy weapons with multiple forms, like a scythe, that’s also a gun, or a gauntlet, that’s also a gun or a sword, that’s also a scythe AND a gun!
But the weapon I find the most fascinating is a bow that's also…
Secespitus
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39
votes
21 answers
A smaller price for a lesser faustian deal
We all know the classical trope of making a deal with the devil. The mortal applicant desires some worldly possession, knowledge, or power, and is willing to trade his own soul for it.
Picture the devils in this setting as the epitome of Lawful…
vsz
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39
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14 answers
What conditions would prevent the possibility of human-made satellites orbiting a habitable planet?
I'm looking for something that would prevent humans being able to establish the use of satellites on an alien planet, but also would not prevent humans from living on the planet, or life developing on that planet.
Humans must also be able to arrive…
Mike.C.Ford
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39
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12 answers
Using international waters to avoid legal punishment
I am playing with the idea of a lateral thinking puzzle based around abusing international waters to make an action 'legal'. For the sake of this question lets assume someone from the US is looking to do something illegal within the US.
(Added…
dsollen
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39
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7 answers
What color dyes would be available to the average person in a medieval world?
I am a farmer or perhaps a slightly successful merchant in a medieval world. What types of clothes dye would be available to me? Purple is often discussed but would only be available to the wealthy, but what about blue, yellow, green, red etc? How…
Austin Arminio
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39
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9 answers
Encryption in the 19th century
Heinrich is a scientist and a scholar, one of the greatest minds of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire around 1880. He studied mathematics, physics and engineering. He patented a few of his ideas and became very rich.
He writes a diary with all his…
vojta
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39
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16 answers
What difficulty would the Roman Empire have besieging a fantasy kingdom's 49 m wall?
I'm trying to work out the logistics of a little fantasy-historical piece I'm working on.
Rome at the height of its power (c. 117 CE) has decided to invade a fantasy kingdom up north. It has a population of 1,750,000 and relatively advanced cross…
hankhoward
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39
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2 answers
What would be the evolutionary advantage for plants to be bioluminescent?
As fas as I know, there isn't a single plant on Earth that (naturally) produces any sort of luminescence. But it is seen in science-fiction worlds, especially Avatar.
From an evolutionary point of view, what would be the benefits for a plant from…
Sheraff
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39
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7 answers
How long can an abandoned, semi-sheltered computer remain bootable?
Simply put, what's the expiration date of a computer? The reason I ask is for the sake of a society recovering from some sort of cataclysm and trying to reclaim lost technology. However, I could also see this being useful if there's a cold-case…
Emmett R.
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17 answers
What can the government do with its clone army after the war is won?
In order to win the World War one faction begins producing clone super soldiers. The war is eventually won, but now the government must do something with the Clones. They can't kill them because of some Civil Right activists. At the same time, they…
Bryan McClure
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39
votes
6 answers
Dietary Requirements of Giant Spiders
Giant Spiders are a traditional element of fantasy worlds. They prey upon most human's primal fears, and are easy to make as evil as possible.
(Note: Not to scale)
But are they actually plausible? What kind of environment would be required to…
Danny Reagan
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