Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site topaz.RUTGERS.EDU Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!cbdkc1!desoto!packard!topaz!kdale From: kdale@minet-vhn-em.arpa Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Fantastic Voyage fix Message-ID: <3323@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Sun, 18-Aug-85 00:29:34 EDT Article-I.D.: topaz.3323 Posted: Sun Aug 18 00:29:34 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 20-Aug-85 06:09:07 EDT Sender: daemon@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 70 From: Keith DaleSteven Litvintchouk wrote: >The problem with "Fantastic Voyage" is that they could never figure >out a consistent relationship between the principle of >miniaturization and the conservation of mass. How about this as an attempt at an explanation? As a preface, though, if you're going to swallow the fact of miniaturization, you're going to have to accept some pretty flaky assumptions (I mean, it's got to be on a par with "Beam me up, Scotty!"). 1. The miniaturization process begins with setting up an homogeneous field around the object(s) to be mini'ed. What kind of field? Well, a field that reacts in equal force or amount to all points within it. So, Flaky Assumption #1 is: this field does not behave according to the inverse square rule. 2. Next, an effect of the field is to reduce energy within it's influence by directly converting mass to energy. The energy released is used to sustain the field. Due to the nature of the field, no whole unit of matter is converted to energy, but just a part. The nature of the unit of matter is not changed (F.A.#2) and it reduces size in proportion to the amount of matter that was converted. 3. The mass conversion acts on all matter within the field equally, so everything is reduced by the same amount. 4. When you're as small as you want to be, turn off the field. 5. Since an abnormality in the Grand Scheme of Things exists (a proton that *is* a proton, but doesn't have the mass that a proton *should*), physical laws begin to reassert themselves as soon as the field is shut off. All miniaturized matter attempts to regain normality by gaining energy that will be somehow converted back to matter. How? I don't know - I've never had the chance to interview a scrawny proton before. This is definitely F.A.#3. 6. Assuming that 5. will occur, then we might as well assume that the rate of energy reconversion is rapid but requires a threshhold point to be reached before matter "grows". Where does this matter get the energy? From the immediate surroundings and according to the inverse square rule; however, this would wreak havoc with those surroundings, not to mention the patient! So: 7. Another field is set up that provides a source of energy that is specific to miniaturized matter (F.A.#4). Surrounding normal matter is not affected, and you have a definite time limit on how long you can stay small before the mass you're gaining becomes a problem (say, for the patient that you're "inhabiting"). When you exit the patient, the juice can be turned up so that you grow more rapidly. There, that's it. Please realize, folks, that this isn't meant to be an outline on How to Get Small. It's just one way of explaning miniaturization and the conservation of energy, given that something as improbable as miniaturization is required, in a manner that seems logical. Turn the flames on and have fun with it! BTW, the whole time I was writing this, a line from ST2:TWoK kept screaming in my head - "Jim, you proceed from a false assumption." Don't I know it! Keith M. Dale (kdale@minet-vhn-em) BBN Comm Corp Stuttgart, W. Germany