Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site uwvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!uwvax!derek From: derek@uwvax.UUCP (Derek Zahn) Newsgroups: net.startrek Subject: Re: Destruction of the Enterprise Message-ID: <91@uwvax.UUCP> Date: Sun, 30-Dec-84 12:29:34 EST Article-I.D.: uwvax.91 Posted: Sun Dec 30 12:29:34 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 1-Jan-85 06:13:02 EST References: <1@decwrl.UUCP> <1271@hplabs.UUCP> <510@ncoast.UUCP> Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept Lines: 30 > > Dilithium does *not* create antimatter (or has the stuff posted both > here and in net.tv.drwho warped some minds? :-); it *regulates* the > matter/antimatter reaction. But I'm damned if I can remember where I > learned that bit of information. > My original suggestion was not that dilithium crystals create antimatter, but rather that they regulate a conversion between normal matter and antimatter. If this newly created antimatter reacted immediately, the dilithium could indeed be said to be *regulating* a matter/antimatter reaction. While I realize that this probably goes against something or other Scotty said in some episode or some mention in an *official* handbook, I think it makes a much simpler and more aesthetically pleasing solution to the no- big-bam-boom destruct question than self-powered course-programmed antimatter escape pods. Besides, if we took the literature as law on everything, we would get nowhere, as with the "speed of warp" question. The 'official' explanation (warp^3 * c or something like that) was quite impossible to reconcile with events on the show. This dilithium scheme makes sense to me, solves a troubling problem, and I don't think it is too far out of line with what we know of the show. derek -- Derek Zahn @ wisconsin ...!{allegra,heurikon,ihnp4,seismo,sfwin,ucbvax,uwm-evax}!uwvax!derek derek@wisc-rsch.arpa