![]() Eric Drexler think it might be a possibility with nanotechnology. If you have the molecular recipe for lasagna, the replicator can whip up a nice batch for you on the spot.Ĭould we ever build an actual working replicator? Scholars like K. As you might guess from its name, the replicator can create stuff as long as it knows what that stuff is made of on a molecular level. "Star Trek" also contributed this gadget: the replicator. No matter what your sense of personal style, there's a time machine out there for you. Or maybe you want to give that flux capacitor a real workout and zoom into time at 88 miles per hour (141.6 kilometers per hour) with the famous DeLorean from the "Back to the Future" films. You could have a living creature that inhabits a multi-dimensional construct like the TARDIS in "Doctor Who." You might plop down on a comfy chair and manipulate dozens of levers and dials like the time machine in H.G. Time machines come in all shapes, sizes and styles. Sure, you might encounter a younger version of yourself or somehow set into motion a series of events that will prevent your own birth, but that's half the fun! While the neuralizer from "Men in Black" would be handy for making folks forget the last few moments, what happens when you make a major mistake? That's when you hop into your handy-dandy time machine and risk introducing a paradox that could rip apart the very fabric of time and space in order to prevent yourself from an embarrassing situation. It's not entirely clear that the thumb requires the spaceship's driver to give permission before the hitchhikers zap aboard using a matter transference beam. ![]() Adams wrote multiple versions of his story and no two are exactly alike. The electronic thumb taps into this network and signals nearby spaceships to hitch a lift. Adams explains that there is a communications channel called the sub-ether network. What if, thought Adams, the same thing happened on a universal scale? He constructed a tale of a befuddled human named Arthur Dent and an alien in disguise with the vehicular moniker of Ford Prefect and the rest is history.īut how do you hitch a ride with an alien? You use an Electronic Thumb. It wasn't uncommon for students and other travelers to hitch a lift now and then as they crisscrossed the continent, visiting new cities and phoning home for more money. Legend has it that Douglas Adams thought up the idea for "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" while lying in a field, recovering from drinking a bit too much during a trip through Europe. Dark side force users tend to use synthetic crystals, which always seem to give a lightsaber an ominous red glow. ![]() Those who use the light side of the force tend to rely on crystals they find in natural settings like caves and caverns. The crystals give the lightsaber its color as well as other attributes. If you explore the expanded universe - that includes the various novels, video games, comic books and other media that relate to Star Wars but aren't part of the official story - you'll learn that a lightsaber consists of a handle, a power source and some crystals. Plus they make that really cool voom-whoosh sound. The films taught us that these magical swords could cut through nearly anything and were capable of deflecting blaster fire. ![]() The final part of a Jedi knight's training is the construction of his or her own personal lightsaber. It's an elegant weapon from a more civilized age. Putting aside the legitimate argument that the "Star Wars" series is really more of a fantasy than science fiction, we come to the lightsaber. There are thousands of examples of real-world gadgets and inventions that were once just the stuff of dreams. Today, you can use a smartphone and Google Translate to have a conversation with someone else even if you don't share a common language. "Star Trek" introduced the concept of a universal translator - a gadget capable of making communication possible across language barriers. Some gadgets from science fiction became reality. Don't dismiss a tale just because it has robots and rockets in it - there may be more going on under the surface of the story.īut apart from deep social commentary, science fiction has given us other gifts: amazing inventions that we'd love to possess. While the setting may be futuristic and even fantastic, the themes are relevant to how we live our lives. These books also stress the importance of individuality and critical thinking. In books like "1984," "Brave New World" and "Fahrenheit 451," we can consider the dangers we face if we put too much power in the hands of the government.
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