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1500 questions
74
votes
12 answers
Start a coup online without the government intervening
Dear NSA intern reading this post, I don't actually intend to start a coup
Dear @DasBeasto - we'll be the judge of that. - NSA
Consider a country pretty much exactly like modern day America. The government (allegedly?) has their nose in everything…
DasBeasto
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74
votes
22 answers
What kind of weapons could squirrels use?
Okay, so I know this sounds like a joke, but it's not. I am 100% serious. So my world has this kind of... squirrel expy, that is somehow intelligent enough to use weapons + have some sort of society. Otherwise they're basically your average red …
death meister
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74
votes
20 answers
What modern technology would be most revolutionary to ancient Greeks?
In Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" a nineteenth century character finds himself in medieval England and shortly manages to build all the "modern" inventions: from steam engines to Gatling guns.
While this is entertaining,…
Yasskier
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74
votes
22 answers
How can a hive mind secretly monetize its special ability to make lots of money?
TLDR: How can a 100-strong hive mind utilise our superpower in order to generate \$1billion as fast possible?
All 100 of us share a common mind and can think as one. Instant, undetectable, thought transfer. None of us are rich, but we're all…
Ash
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74
votes
11 answers
How can powerful telekinesis avoid violating Newton's 3rd Law?
Characters with powerful telekinesis are portrayed as being able to exert a superhuman force using only their minds. For example, they can throw a car.
Based on what I remember from high school physics, throwing a 2000 kg vehicle to 10 m/s requires…
Cheezey
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74
votes
20 answers
Taxing the superhero industry
I'm the mayor of a large city, and I'm up for re-election. My poll numbers have slipped after a recent scandal (don't ask), so to make up ground, I need to appeal to my most vocal constituents: evildoers. In particular, they want me to take on…
user53026
74
votes
15 answers
Designing an animal that wants to be eaten
So I had a funny idea, somewhat based off the cow in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe in the Hitchhikers Guide. You know the one—that wants to be eaten and whose only purpose in life is to be consumed.
Plants already have a variety of…
adaliabooks
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73
votes
19 answers
How to keep a military technology secret while using it?
We are situated in an scenario like the Terran cold war in the 1980 era. I am the omnipotent dictator ahem.. president of the "good" side.
Recently my research team completed some breakthrough in a revolutionary new sensor technology that relies on…
Martin
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73
votes
14 answers
How to harness Jupiter's gravitational energy?
I am currently orbiting Jupiter, the rent is pretty cheap and the view is magnificent.
However, my former electricity provider refuses to connect me to earth's grid for petty reasons like "are you insane?" and "how did you get there anyway?" Still,…
PatJ
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73
votes
12 answers
Do centaurs suckle from horse nipples or human nipples?
This has been puzzling me, because if the human half needs human nutrients, then suckling from the human nipples makes sense. But the horse half needs different nutrients, so which set of nipples makes most sense?
Ash Smith
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73
votes
16 answers
How to give a rationality-inducing drug to an entire software company?
I'm a genius inventor who's managed to come up with a drug that increases the occurrence of rational behaviour over 400% among human beings. This drug makes humans more likely to communicate effectively with others and make plans rather than…
Gryphon
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73
votes
24 answers
What is the utilitarian purpose of artificial waterfalls?
In sci-fi and fantasy artwork, I often see a city built on top of or incorporating waterfalls:
James Gurney's Dinotopia (above) is an egregious example with "waterfall towers". When the city is underground, there's often a central waterfall pouring…
wetcircuit
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73
votes
23 answers
In what war would one modern military vehicle make a difference?
Somewhat related to this question.
Take one modern, new-off-the-production-line, Challenger II battle tank, and one time machine. To what war do you need to send this tank before it can really have a decisive impact on the course of events?
For the…
ArtOfCode
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73
votes
17 answers
How could a natural road form across a sea?
BACKGROUND
I'd like my earth-like world to have a naturally formed narrow strip of land that bridges a major sea. Now, before anyone rushes off to comment about island chains and land bridges, I'll add that I'm looking for unusually long, thin, and…
Random
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72
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19 answers
Being reborn with your memories - Knowledge is power, but how much?
Imagine a world like ours, with humans that have a soul which passes on into a new human body, taking the memories with it. They get accessible during puberty, gradually. as the number of humans is increasing, if no old soul is available, a new one…
DonQuiKong
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