Hey Joe, Nick, Georgia, and Mary!! Welcome, Mary!! 😃
Bruce's Substack sounds awesome!
Great summary. Speed is power. Amazing how fast light is. But also amazing is that it is weak. Fast but weak.
Oh yeah, I forgot about EMPs when I thought about Hiroshima.
It makes sense to use directed energy weapons for missile defense, given how effective and cost saving it can be.
Haha yes, I remember hearing about Reagan's Star Wars idea. Imagine the Millennium Falcon shooting down missiles. Kidding lol
Yeah, I heard of hypersonic missiles. If I remember correctly, they have been used by Russia in Ukraine.
Great info about waves how smaller ones have more energy.
LOL sonic boom - reminds me of Guile from Street Fighter. Now I am thinking of Ryu and Sagat also. As a kid, I thought Sagat and Bob Saget had the same name lol
Lol I wonder how realistic the particle accelerator in The Flash (show) is. Not sure how big Star Labs is but the building had a particke acclerator.
In my superhero story, one idea I thought of was that the humans used a giant EMP to stop the cyborgs during their initial invasion. But I wonder how realistic it would be for an anti-EMP shield to be used by cyborgs that can surround their 7 foot bodies (so smaller than a plane). Is it handwavium? Haha
The cyborgs in my story use laser rifles. I am guessing these would be directed energy weapons, right? My superheroes have anti-laser and bulletproof armor and forcefields...are these realistic for blocking lasers? Lol
I didn't know planes have shielding against EMPs. That's great that they do.
Oh wow, I didn't know that a radar dish could impact health too but that makes sense too.
Lol hot pocket lol
Yeah disintegration is not realistic.
Haha one gag in my stories I thought of was a character using their powers to teleport/beam a bad guy to a black hole. Total handwavium for sure.
Yeah war is messy. Definitely no such thing as a clean war. An EMP used in war would be devastating and horrific, given the societal breakdown that, as Bruce mentioned, would ensue.
I need to read El Eternauta :) (Thanks Joe, for your comment) :)
Great point, Georgia! Library computers going down def would cause chaos. The librarians at one of the libraries I go to check out books and provide tech support too and it'd be horrible if that situation happened.
Good point about pacemakers.
I should watch "Leave the World Behind".
Automated weapons, AI weapons, and drones scare me. It worries me how they can be used to disable energy systems/jam them. It is already horrific how Russia has been bombing Ukraine's energy infrastructure. And yeah automated weapons and how they can jam civilian communications is concerning.
Wetware is intriguing.
Yeah, Joe don't spoil things. Kidding hehe
I want to see Zero Day.
Scary how such weapons can disable hospitals and pacemakers.
The Black Mirror episode sounds scary. Yeah... subscription-based health tech would be awful especially here since we do not have universal healthcare.
Librarians rock!! Some of my dearest friends are librarians!
Good question, Mary!
Like Bruce, I do not have the expertise, so that is why I write science fiction.
Yes...sci fi is becoming science fact. I concur. I was talking with Nick about how Person of Interest (show) is becoming more realistic. This comment will be on Substack and YouTube but I will share the link on the former as the latter is iffy with links.
I want to read Bruce's books and blog! 😊
Techno thriller def allows more freedom. The topics Bruce covers intrigue me.
Like Bruce, I am interested in the impact of science and tech on people. That inspires my work.
Surveillance is very pervasive and corporatized. I don't use facial id or fingerprint either. I am wary of a lot of smart devices and my TV is not connected to the internet. Does the TSA hassle those who do not want their photo taken?
Ya we have done this to ourselves.
Wow these are from the 1800s? Interesting. I need to read War of the Worlds. I read a children's comic adaptation of it as a kid.
Intriguing history of the energy weapons in fiction.
I plan to read Watchmen soon too.
Excellent questions, Mary! I enjoyed hearing Bruce's inspirations.
Experimental Aircraft Association sounds neat! I need to check out the show.
Starship Troopers is something I need to watch.
Lol the bugs fire plasma from butts? 😂
Reminds me of how America Chavez asked if Spider-Man fired webs from his butt. But I heard that this happens with spiders in real life. 😂
Yeah, I can see AI being used to make weapons deadlier.
Good speculation. It might well be a sonic one.
Great question about flash bangs, Nick.
The brown note myth 😂😂😂. Raising a big stink, Joe lol 😅 Jk.
Hahahaha I dunno...maybe it made me let out a big fart. Kidding. Just like my character Amal thinking of using a fart gas blaster lol
It is awful and stupid how some pointed lasers at planes.
Lol ya I bet the Death Star would require more energy than plausible today.
My character Peculiarexus wants one to use against asteroids 😂.
Have you watched Andor, Joe, Georgia, Nick, and Mary?
Bruce's book sounds awesome!! I wanna read it.
Wonderful episode! Good discussion! Kudos!
PS. https://youtu.be/zr17FZ0bJQw?si=9o5RPTAQLMTT5Vh- This is the Person of Interest clip that reminded me of the Ring ads and is one example of how the show is even more realistic today and ahead of its time.
A military laser just shut down airspace over a US city. Does that surprise you, or did you see this coming?
No. I think I was a bit concerned when I heard airspace was shut down...well concerned and at the same time, wondering if someone did something stupid. Then I heard it was a laser...being shot at party balloon. I'm surprised that it was a party balloon specifically...but not so surprised that this took place. We've had a lot of weird things happening in real life, and sometimes responses can get overblown (as it was here with a laser used to blast a party balloon). So, I'm not surprised. At the same time though, I appreciate the caution. Yes, it ended up being a balloon, but I get being cautious, especially given the threats of drones and the importance of national security (though to be clear, I do not support clamping down on civil liberties; there is a big difference between cautious and using a crisis to take away civil liberties).
So, I guess I have a more nuanced take on it.
What does bug me though is the lack of communication between government agencies in this situation, and the dangers that could've resulted from that. Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling has a good article about that and he says it better than me (and talks about broader implications): https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-el-paso-balloon-incident-disaster-dhs-cbp-army-laser-airport-faa
I also really like what he wrote here:
"This is not an indictment of individual CBP personnel. It is an indictment of leadership decisions that conflate the possession of equipment with proficiency in using it. And this incident must be understood in a broader, more troubling context: the creeping militarization of domestic security forces."
There's more (including more excellent point), but this comment is going to be long enough as it is, and I recommend reading his whole piece.
--
If you could design a real-world version of a Star Trek phaser, what extra Handwavium thing would it actually do?
Ooh...I'd use it to teleport myself places lol. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to stun anyone either. Instead, I'd use it to teleport myself places so that I don't have to drive or take a flight to places. Imagine if I could teleport in seconds rather than driving for say, half an hour or taking a five hour flight lol. That'd be nice! Haha :).
--
What’s your favorite fictional energy weapon and how badly does it violate the laws of physics? Let us know your ideas and we'll try to make it work on the mini-recap episode!
Great question!! There are many like the Death Star and lightsabers. But, I'm a bit biased and will have to go with my superhero characters Selina and Steph.
I'm still working on developing Selina's powers, but what I have so far is that Selina has a sword that can fire energy blasts (she swings it and it can fire energy blasts) and it can cut through anything. It also can only be wielded by her and can form a protective forcefield around her. I'm pretty sure that it violates the laws of physics... I mean blades aren't supposed to be able to fire energy blasts or create forcefields, but hers can lol. She uses it for superhero duties 99% of the time, but I wouldn't put it past her to (when no one's looking) use it to slice some cheesecake out for herself or cut some steak...or cut out some pizza slices (she loves food and, similar to Supergirl, doesn't gain weight from it lol) (She also once ate an entire large pizza by herself lol).
Steph (as you know, Joe) can fly. When she does, she has blue energy around her body (powered by bracelets that help get her to fly at super speeds). I didn't write this in my initial drafts of my story, but she can also (like Selina) fire energy blasts and is protected by a forcefield (though, like Selina's forcefield, it's not perfect; it can block out cyborg lasers and bullets just fine but being hit by a missile would still hurt and could cause Steph or Selina to be knocked unconscious temporarily). I have another character named Caitlyn who also lights up when she flies but I haven't figured out her powers yet (though they're also energy-based).
So these are my favorites - a sword and bracelets that can fire energy blasts and create forcefields (and where they differ is that the sword can slice through anything while the bracelets can't lol).
Hey Joe, Nick, Georgia, and Mary!! Welcome, Mary!! 😃
Bruce's Substack sounds awesome!
Great summary. Speed is power. Amazing how fast light is. But also amazing is that it is weak. Fast but weak.
Oh yeah, I forgot about EMPs when I thought about Hiroshima.
It makes sense to use directed energy weapons for missile defense, given how effective and cost saving it can be.
Haha yes, I remember hearing about Reagan's Star Wars idea. Imagine the Millennium Falcon shooting down missiles. Kidding lol
Yeah, I heard of hypersonic missiles. If I remember correctly, they have been used by Russia in Ukraine.
Great info about waves how smaller ones have more energy.
LOL sonic boom - reminds me of Guile from Street Fighter. Now I am thinking of Ryu and Sagat also. As a kid, I thought Sagat and Bob Saget had the same name lol
Lol I wonder how realistic the particle accelerator in The Flash (show) is. Not sure how big Star Labs is but the building had a particke acclerator.
In my superhero story, one idea I thought of was that the humans used a giant EMP to stop the cyborgs during their initial invasion. But I wonder how realistic it would be for an anti-EMP shield to be used by cyborgs that can surround their 7 foot bodies (so smaller than a plane). Is it handwavium? Haha
The cyborgs in my story use laser rifles. I am guessing these would be directed energy weapons, right? My superheroes have anti-laser and bulletproof armor and forcefields...are these realistic for blocking lasers? Lol
I didn't know planes have shielding against EMPs. That's great that they do.
Oh wow, I didn't know that a radar dish could impact health too but that makes sense too.
Lol hot pocket lol
Yeah disintegration is not realistic.
Haha one gag in my stories I thought of was a character using their powers to teleport/beam a bad guy to a black hole. Total handwavium for sure.
Yeah war is messy. Definitely no such thing as a clean war. An EMP used in war would be devastating and horrific, given the societal breakdown that, as Bruce mentioned, would ensue.
I need to read El Eternauta :) (Thanks Joe, for your comment) :)
Great point, Georgia! Library computers going down def would cause chaos. The librarians at one of the libraries I go to check out books and provide tech support too and it'd be horrible if that situation happened.
Good point about pacemakers.
I should watch "Leave the World Behind".
Automated weapons, AI weapons, and drones scare me. It worries me how they can be used to disable energy systems/jam them. It is already horrific how Russia has been bombing Ukraine's energy infrastructure. And yeah automated weapons and how they can jam civilian communications is concerning.
Wetware is intriguing.
Yeah, Joe don't spoil things. Kidding hehe
I want to see Zero Day.
Scary how such weapons can disable hospitals and pacemakers.
The Black Mirror episode sounds scary. Yeah... subscription-based health tech would be awful especially here since we do not have universal healthcare.
Librarians rock!! Some of my dearest friends are librarians!
Good question, Mary!
Like Bruce, I do not have the expertise, so that is why I write science fiction.
Yes...sci fi is becoming science fact. I concur. I was talking with Nick about how Person of Interest (show) is becoming more realistic. This comment will be on Substack and YouTube but I will share the link on the former as the latter is iffy with links.
I want to read Bruce's books and blog! 😊
Techno thriller def allows more freedom. The topics Bruce covers intrigue me.
Like Bruce, I am interested in the impact of science and tech on people. That inspires my work.
Surveillance is very pervasive and corporatized. I don't use facial id or fingerprint either. I am wary of a lot of smart devices and my TV is not connected to the internet. Does the TSA hassle those who do not want their photo taken?
Ya we have done this to ourselves.
Wow these are from the 1800s? Interesting. I need to read War of the Worlds. I read a children's comic adaptation of it as a kid.
Intriguing history of the energy weapons in fiction.
I plan to read Watchmen soon too.
Excellent questions, Mary! I enjoyed hearing Bruce's inspirations.
Experimental Aircraft Association sounds neat! I need to check out the show.
Starship Troopers is something I need to watch.
Lol the bugs fire plasma from butts? 😂
Reminds me of how America Chavez asked if Spider-Man fired webs from his butt. But I heard that this happens with spiders in real life. 😂
Yeah, I can see AI being used to make weapons deadlier.
Good speculation. It might well be a sonic one.
Great question about flash bangs, Nick.
The brown note myth 😂😂😂. Raising a big stink, Joe lol 😅 Jk.
Hahahaha I dunno...maybe it made me let out a big fart. Kidding. Just like my character Amal thinking of using a fart gas blaster lol
It is awful and stupid how some pointed lasers at planes.
Lol ya I bet the Death Star would require more energy than plausible today.
My character Peculiarexus wants one to use against asteroids 😂.
Have you watched Andor, Joe, Georgia, Nick, and Mary?
Bruce's book sounds awesome!! I wanna read it.
Wonderful episode! Good discussion! Kudos!
PS. https://youtu.be/zr17FZ0bJQw?si=9o5RPTAQLMTT5Vh- This is the Person of Interest clip that reminded me of the Ring ads and is one example of how the show is even more realistic today and ahead of its time.
https://youtu.be/zvcs1DFlgm0?si=cTFGv12PVmWnpYEv
This too
Alex, thanks for listening. And I’ll check out that Person of Interest clip. May have to do an episode on surveillance. 🤔
Anytime, Joe!
I will answer the "We want to hear from you" questions later today (maybe tonight). 🙂
In the meantime, enjoy the clips! I think an episode on surveillance will be great! 😃
A military laser just shut down airspace over a US city. Does that surprise you, or did you see this coming?
No. I think I was a bit concerned when I heard airspace was shut down...well concerned and at the same time, wondering if someone did something stupid. Then I heard it was a laser...being shot at party balloon. I'm surprised that it was a party balloon specifically...but not so surprised that this took place. We've had a lot of weird things happening in real life, and sometimes responses can get overblown (as it was here with a laser used to blast a party balloon). So, I'm not surprised. At the same time though, I appreciate the caution. Yes, it ended up being a balloon, but I get being cautious, especially given the threats of drones and the importance of national security (though to be clear, I do not support clamping down on civil liberties; there is a big difference between cautious and using a crisis to take away civil liberties).
So, I guess I have a more nuanced take on it.
What does bug me though is the lack of communication between government agencies in this situation, and the dangers that could've resulted from that. Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling has a good article about that and he says it better than me (and talks about broader implications): https://www.thebulwark.com/p/the-el-paso-balloon-incident-disaster-dhs-cbp-army-laser-airport-faa
I also really like what he wrote here:
"This is not an indictment of individual CBP personnel. It is an indictment of leadership decisions that conflate the possession of equipment with proficiency in using it. And this incident must be understood in a broader, more troubling context: the creeping militarization of domestic security forces."
There's more (including more excellent point), but this comment is going to be long enough as it is, and I recommend reading his whole piece.
--
If you could design a real-world version of a Star Trek phaser, what extra Handwavium thing would it actually do?
Ooh...I'd use it to teleport myself places lol. I don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want to stun anyone either. Instead, I'd use it to teleport myself places so that I don't have to drive or take a flight to places. Imagine if I could teleport in seconds rather than driving for say, half an hour or taking a five hour flight lol. That'd be nice! Haha :).
--
What’s your favorite fictional energy weapon and how badly does it violate the laws of physics? Let us know your ideas and we'll try to make it work on the mini-recap episode!
Great question!! There are many like the Death Star and lightsabers. But, I'm a bit biased and will have to go with my superhero characters Selina and Steph.
I'm still working on developing Selina's powers, but what I have so far is that Selina has a sword that can fire energy blasts (she swings it and it can fire energy blasts) and it can cut through anything. It also can only be wielded by her and can form a protective forcefield around her. I'm pretty sure that it violates the laws of physics... I mean blades aren't supposed to be able to fire energy blasts or create forcefields, but hers can lol. She uses it for superhero duties 99% of the time, but I wouldn't put it past her to (when no one's looking) use it to slice some cheesecake out for herself or cut some steak...or cut out some pizza slices (she loves food and, similar to Supergirl, doesn't gain weight from it lol) (She also once ate an entire large pizza by herself lol).
Steph (as you know, Joe) can fly. When she does, she has blue energy around her body (powered by bracelets that help get her to fly at super speeds). I didn't write this in my initial drafts of my story, but she can also (like Selina) fire energy blasts and is protected by a forcefield (though, like Selina's forcefield, it's not perfect; it can block out cyborg lasers and bullets just fine but being hit by a missile would still hurt and could cause Steph or Selina to be knocked unconscious temporarily). I have another character named Caitlyn who also lights up when she flies but I haven't figured out her powers yet (though they're also energy-based).
So these are my favorites - a sword and bracelets that can fire energy blasts and create forcefields (and where they differ is that the sword can slice through anything while the bracelets can't lol).