The Authorial Impulse.

[swestrup]

I just invented another book I want to write: "The Handbook of Imaginary Materials"

_sps_ and I have a longish list of science-fiction materials we've invented, which range from the obviously doable to the rather dubious. Now I know what to do with the list: turn it into a book! The only problem is that I would want to talk about how realistic the materials are. That would mean I would either have to know a LOT more about materials science than I do, or I'll need to find a sympathetic and well versed practitioner in the field. Hmmm.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Thu, 26 Aug 2004 10:32:00 EDT (-0400)
Ideal materials such as "Unobtanium" come to mind immediately.
Here are some things that aren't exactly materials, but are
ideal: ideal filters, ideal op amps, frictionless pulleys,
massless rope. A info sheet on the "DED" used to go around -- the
"Dark Emitting Diode". It has ideal properties: it emits exactly
zero photons and has infinite input impedance! This device isn't
even imaginary, but is easily buildable!
The classic SF material was "slow glass", of course. That stuff
works out to having such a high dielectric constant that it could
store scary amounts of energy!
-Jim

[sps.livejournal.com]

Forgive me, but I cannot imagine how you would build something that has infinite impedance, or that emits no photons. Are you living under the same physics as me? :)

But in any case, I think the materials Sti alludes to are primarily nanostructured bulk materials, only slightly more 'ideal' than current materials; things like monoaxis thermal superconductors, alignment sensitive adhesives and programmable solvents.

[swestrup]

Yup. I actually came across an article on 'smart' adhesives the other day, but it turned out they would only work for one cycle. One frequency of light makes them stick and harden, the other destroys the bonds.