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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
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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From: Keith Dale 

Steven 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