0

In many science fiction shows and movies there are force fields that are invisible and can be turned on and off with the push of a button. How might the force fields of science fiction shows and movies work and what might they be made from?

Anders Gustafson
  • 7,369
  • 3
  • 27
  • 51
  • 1
    There are many forms of force fields in sci-fi, it might be useful to specify what's the desired effect you're looking for. In Stargate alone, you have some that block seemingly everything, some that only block high velocity objects and some that makes you wonder if they are even designed to block anything. – AmiralPatate May 04 '16 at 07:19
  • I agree with Amiral Patate. – Xandar The Zenon May 04 '16 at 15:45
  • Examples of better forms of this question: http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/q/10910/2113 or http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/q/14999/2113 or http://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/q/1043/2113 – Brythan May 04 '16 at 16:11

1 Answers1

1

There is some research on the subject of generating small magnetic fields that mimic the Earth's magnetosphere, in order to protect spacecrafts (and the people inside them) from dangerous radiation. Likewise, such a magnetic field would offer some defense against plasma weapons or particle beams. However, they would not offer defense against kinetic weapons or lasers.

If your setting has 'programmable matter' or nanobot swarms which respond to remote control, it might allow you to turn them into a protective sphere. That's really more of a shapeshifting matter shield than a true force field, though.

IndigoFenix
  • 29,066
  • 3
  • 69
  • 120